By Brad D. Bates
C & G Staff Writer
SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The first year of Shelby Township’s electronics recycling program allowed residents to dispose of some long-held obsolete appliances while giving them something in return.
Along with collecting 500,524 pounds of electronics that would have otherwise ended up in landfills, the program helped residents like township Solid Waste and Recycling Committee Chairperson Marietta Crabtree feel like they were making a difference.
“It’s our generation taking responsibility for our hazardous waste and not putting that burden on future generations,” Crabtree said. “It’s just good stewardship.”
The program, which was tops in the state with the amount it collected in 2011, ran throughout the year and featured collection by Vintage Tech Recyclers, a firm based outside Chicago, on the final Saturday of every month.
“There is a state law that requires electronics companies to provide free sites for the return of their products,” Crabtree said. “Then, companies like Sony and whatnot reimburse Vintage Tech Recyclers for having this.”
According to its website, www.vintagetechrecyclers.com, Vintage Tech Recyclers “takes responsibility of the way these electronics are discarded. With our no landfill policy on all recyclable items, we ensure that every part of your old cellphone, computer or television is being recycled responsibly.”
“Nothing goes overseas to a third-world nation, where the process to recycle isn’t safe,” Crabtree said of the program’s ability to offer people an opportunity to safely dispose of computers that may have contained personal information.
“There is a lot of lead in glass and cadmium and other hazardous materials,” Crabtree added of the need for proper disposal of electronics.
“The lead in monitors and TVs can be separated and used for industrial purposes. It’s separated rather than placed in a landfill. It’s such a plus to safely recycle these materials.”
The recycling isn’t restricted to Shelby Township residents, either, as people from across metro Detroit took advantage of it to dispose of old computers, accessories, televisions, VCRs, CD players, telephones, microwaves and other items, particularly Christmas lights for the upcoming Jan. 28 pickup.
“We had people from as far as Harsens Island and Warren and all over,” Crabtree said of the pickup site, which is the state’s largest. “It’s open to anyone, and we had people come in from 20 different communities.”
Crabtree said the program will maintain its schedule of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the final Saturday of every month from January to November throughout 2012 at the Shelby Township Municipal Grounds at 52700 Van Dyke Ave.
After all, with new gadgets and electronics at the top of everyone’s Christmas list, it’s likely they have some newly “old” items to dispose of.
“People have been real good about bringing in items,” Crabtree said. “We’ve seen some really old TVs and consoles. There are people who were definitely waiting and storing items for years for a way to dispose of them.”
