Two cities offer drop-off points to recycle electronics

NORFOLK

For the third year in a row, Norfolk residents and businesses will get a chance to "e-Cycle" their unwanted electronic devices, such as old cell phones, obsolete computers and DVD players - for free.

The electronics-recycling event - known as e-Cycling - is scheduled for Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the WHRO parking lot across from Old Dominion University, at Hampton Boulevard and 49th Street.

Norfolk has been one of the most aggressive cities in Virginia in seeking ways to more safely dispose of waste electronics, most of which contain traces of toxic chemicals, including mercury and lead.

If thrown out with household trash, the devices most likely would be buried in a landfill, where the toxics could leach into groundwater or contaminate soils.

Norfolk has offered e-Cycling once a year since 2006. The city is close to establishing a more permanent program and expects to start more regular collections as early as this summer, said Holly Carson, a spokeswoman for Keep Norfolk Beautiful, a city-funded office sponsoring the event.

Joining Norfolk this year is Virginia Beach. The resort city last offered e-Cycling in 2002. It will re start the effort as part of Earth Day celebrations at Mount Trashmore, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 4, said Clay Bernick, Virginia Beach's environmental manager.

"It's been a while for us," Bernick said Wednesday. "Down the road, we're going to have to look at doing this on a more regular basis."

The city of Norfolk is paying $5,715 to a Nor th Carolina company, Ecoflo, to collect, sort, recycle and reuse parts pulled from Saturday's haul, Carson said.

Ecoflo, with offices in Richmond, has managed the previous city events as well. Choosing a responsible contractor has become a key component in any e-Cycling program, given recent reports of how some U.S. wastes are packaged and dumped in overseas markets, often in Asian countries.

To accommodate an increasing interest in the Norfolk program, Wal-Mart has agreed to accept electronic materials from people who cannot attend Saturday's event.

The Wal-Mart store at 7530 Tidewater Drive will take waste equipment from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. today and Friday.

In addition, a newly opened environmental products store, Green Alternatives, at 1905 Colonial Avenue, is continuing to accept most obsolete devices.

The store owners, Frances and Amanda Clarkson, have contracted with another company, Computer Recycling of Virginia, to re use and recycle electronic goods.

"We're getting a tremendous amount of materials," said Amanda Clarkson - so much material, she added, that the contractor has had to collect goods once or twice a month.

Scott Harper, (757) 446-2340, scott.harper@pilotonline.com