COVINGTON, Ky. – Need to get rid of old TVs, computers and other electronics gathering dust? What about sensitive paper documents you need to recycle?

Don’t throw away your electronics – they’ll just spend years in landfills leaking toxic chemicals. And throwing confidential documents in your curbside recycling could leave personal information at risk.

Instead, bring “e-waste” and old documents to the annual Recycling Drop-Off Day for Electronic Waste and Paper Shredding on Saturday at Holmes High School. The event is hosted by Keep Covington Beautiful and The Center for Great Neighborhoods in partnership with the City of Covington.

Electronic devices will be recycled by Cleanlites, which disassembles and disposes of electronic waste.

“Many electronics contain toxic chemicals like lead, cadmium, and mercury that -- if left in a landfill -- can leach into our environment,” said Shannon Ratterman of Keep Covington Beautiful. “You also want to protect yourself and your personal data by making sure old computers or electronics that retain your information are being destroyed.”

Shred It, a company that is certified by the National Association of Information Destruction, will be onsite to shred confidential documents and recycle them into new paper.

Now in its fourth year, the recycling event in Covington kept 14,500 pounds of e-waste and paper out of landfills last year alone.

What can I bring?

• All computers and equipment: towers, laptops, monitors, power cords. 
• Keyboards, mice, speakers, cables.
• Telephone equipment, cell phones.
• Printers, fax machines, copiers.
• Stereo equipment.
• TVs, VCRs, Betas, DVRs.
• Cable and satellite boxes.
• Microwaves.
• Rechargeable batteries.

Do not bring:

• Thermostats and mercury switches.
• Equipment containing biological waste, chemicals, oils, or fluids.
• Radioactive material, asbestos or PCBs.
• Equipment with tanks or sealed units.
• Light bulbs.

Covington officials say the event demonstrates the City’s commitment to recycling and on going efforts to educate and engage residents and businesses.

“Because of this event, the public is more conscious about proper disposal of materials, especially recyclables and hazardous waste,” said Sheila Fields, Covington’s Solid Waste and Recycling manager. “They are calling the office much more frequently asking questions and learning about proper disposal.”

Recycling in Covington is on the rise. Over 13,000 Covington residents recycled over 2,100 tons of waste since last year, which is helping to reduce the garbage sent to landfills.

In addition, Fields said the City is working with businesses to set up programs to recycle food waste and will soon place more recycling receptacles for pedestrians on street corners around Covington.

About the event:

• Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Holmes High School, (in the side parking lot off Eastern Avenue).
• More info, HERE.

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