Annual drop-off event provides secure eco-friendly disposal
COVINGTON, Ky. – Saturday brings the perfect opportunity to finally get rid of those burdensome “trash” items in a way that’s eco-friendly.
The 2024 E-Waste and Paper Shredding event happens from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Holmes High School (via its entrance on Madison Avenue). The annual event, which is in its ninth year, is hosted by the City in partnership with the Center for Great Neighborhoods and its Keep Covington Beautiful program.
Several categories of recyclable items can be dropped off (and see the bottom of this release for details):
- Electronic waste.
- Confidential documents to be shredded.
- Certain types of Styrofoam™-like materials.
- Miscellaneous, including batteries and light bulbs.
The event is free to Covington residents, small businesses, schools, churches, and non-profits. But donations will be accepted to help cover event costs. No registration is required.
Covington Solid Waste and Recycling Manager Sheila Fields said recycling and disposing of electronic waste properly achieves long-term environmental sustainability and makes economic sense.
“We must minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency by keeping components, products, and materials in use for as long as possible, thus promoting a closed-loop approach and keeping the material out of a landfill,” Fields said. “Recovering the valuable materials and reintegrating them into a production cycle not only creates jobs but also contributes to resource conservation.”
The e-waste will be collected by certified recycling company Cohen Recycling, which will disassemble and dispose of computer equipment, cell phones, and other related items that can contain hazardous materials like lead, cadmium, and mercury.
Accepted items:
- All computers and equipment: towers, laptops, keyboards, mice, monitors, servers, routers, modems, power cords, cables.
- Keyboards, mice, speakers, hard drives.
- Switches.
- Tablets, LCD screens.
- Telephone equipment, cell phones.
- Printers, fax machines, copiers.
- Stereo equipment.
- TVs, VCRs, Betas, DVRs, and remotes.
- Cable and satellite boxes.
- Video game systems.
- Microwaves.
- CRT monitors.
Shred-it® will be on hand to collect paper documents to be shredded, providing a needed service for people who are worried about identity theft, Fields said.
Many types of paper and paper products can be thrown in the carts used in the City’s curbside program. But security experts recommend shredding (a la destroying) anything containing social security numbers, birth dates, passwords or PINs, signatures, home addresses, email addresses, full names, or other confidential information. This can include documents like bank statements, tax records, pay stubs, credit card statements, medical records, insurance records, home documents, expired warranties, voided checks, and utility bills.
The paper must be loose and dry, and there is no need to remove staples and paper clips.
The polystyrene foam will be processed by Boone County Solid Waste and brought to Eco Development, where it will be further processed and made into new, usable products.
It must be clean, with no tape, stickers, or food residue.
Accepted items: clean EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam, described as firm, white plastic foam used in things like coolers and packaging “sheets.” Do NOT bring fast-food foam containers, cups, packing peanuts or compostable packing peanuts (those that are off-white in color).
- Batteries: Alkaline batteries (like D, C, AAA, AA and 9 volt); lithium-ion batteries; rechargeable batteries; and button cell (round silver) batteries.
- Light bulbs, including incandescent (i.e. “regular”) bulbs, LED bulbs, and fluorescent bulbs (CFLs and tubes).
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.
- Large appliances.
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