SIKESTON -- Electronic Recycling Day will be Oct. 4 in Sikeston in an effort to "reduce, reuse and recycle" obsolete electronics. The drop off site is at Carnell's Collision Repair parking lot, on the corner of Tanner and North Main streets, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"Our mission is to reduce the amount of waste going into the waste stream by recycling," said Willard Adams, Bootheel Solid Waste Management District planner.
Electronic waste, or "e-waste" is a term often used to describe used electronics that are nearing the end of their useful life, and are discarded, donated or given to a recycler. Though "e-waste" is the commonly used term, other terms include: "e-scrap" and "end-of-life electronics."
"The reaction and response from the communities have been outstanding," said Adams. "In our past cycle we picked up 59 tons of product that was diverted from the waste stream." Over seven tons came from Sikeston.
Acceptable items include: computers, video and photography gadgets, audio equipment and electronic office supplies.
Each year Bootheel Solid Waste is allotted grant funds from Department of Natural Resources from funds derived from tipping fees from landfills in the district, according to Adams.
"This is a good way to do a fall cleaning." said Scott County First District Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn, who has been on the Bootheel Service Waste committee for 12 years. "People can clean out their closets or basement and get rid of e-waste they have at no charge."
There are serious concerns about unsafe handling of used electronics and e-waste that results in harm to human health and the environment.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there are problems with open-air burning and acid baths being used to recover valuable materials from electronic components, which expose workers to harmful substances.
There are also problems with toxic materials leaching into the environment. These practices can expose workers to high levels of contaminants such as lead, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, nickel, zinc, copper, silver, gold and brominates flame retardants.
When disposed of carelessly, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the toxic materials inside the electronics can be harmful to both people and the environment.
Exposure to toxic materials can lead to irreversible health effects, including cancers, miscarriages, neurological damage and diminished IQs. The toxic materials can also seep out and contaminate soil, water and air if that product gets crushed or improperly incinerated.
Bootheel Waste Service contracts with Nilo-Tech E-cycling of St. Louis for the pickups. In turn, they furnish certificates showing tonnage picked up, said Adams.
The materials are "dismantled and parts are shipped to different places where they're recycled or reused," Ziegenhorn added. An undetermined amount of used electronics is shipped from the United States and other developed countries to developing countries that lack the capacity to reject imports or to handle these materials appropriately, according to the EPA.
The most recent data from the EPA reports that the US average household in 2013 owned 28 consumer electronics, and in that same year the nation generated 3.14 million tons of electronic waste.
"We're really glad to offer this opportunity to our community," said Ziegenhorn.