Editorial: WVU, community can benefit from e-recycling

The West Virginia University and Morgantown communities should take advantage of further recycling opportunities in the city.

WVU recently held an electronics recycling event, giving those with broken and worn electronics somewhere to dispose of them in an environmentally friendly way.

Morgantown is also offering its own, free-to-use electronics recycling event Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Gladesville Community Association Building on Donley Street.

Barbara Angeletti, recycling coordinator for WVU Facilities Management, said the University collected everything from answering machines to DVD players.

Though numbers are not yet official, Angeletti said she has heard the group recycled an estimated 18 tons of electronics materials.

Products like computers, cell phones and keyboards require special recycling because of their often toxic components, such as lead and mercury, that must be removed before being disposal.

"Otherwise, these toxins leach into the ground at the point of disposal and contaminate the disposal area," Angeletti said.

The WVU and Morgantown recycling opportunities make sense for anyone wishing to get rid of those dust-collecting boxes in the corner of the room.

As technology gets less expensive, it's not uncommon to stockpile unwanted and unused electronics to gather dust in attics, under beds and tucked away in closets.

These events help ease the hassle of having to dispose of them by doing it in a sustainable way.

"It is also illegal to put these items in the trash," Angeletti said.

Of course, if your electronics still work – such as perfectly functioning televisions and computer monitors – you can also consider donating them to the less fortunate through local charity organizations, such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

These donations are often tax deductible, providing an incentive for the effort.

The free recycling event also makes sense for college students moving out of cramped dorms or apartment buildings.

Instead of throwing TVs and other items into the dumpsters, take a few minutes to dispose of the items responsibly.

The WVU community already recycles a large amount of material through the multicolored plastic containers around campus.

Now, we should take advantage of these other avenues to help rid ourselves of old technology sitting dormant and gathering dust.