BlairTech will reuse much of what is dropped off under new partnership

COVINGTON, Ky. – A special e-waste drop-off event April 5 at computer refurbisher BlairTech in Latonia will kick off a vibrant partnership that will give residents a year-round recycling opportunity.

The event – from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at BlairTech’s Tech Castle retail location at 4314 Boron Drive – is in addition to the City’s annual e-waste drop-off event in June at Holmes High School’s parking lot. The new event will be held in partnership with the City of Covington and Keep Covington Beautiful, a program of The Center for Great Neighborhoods.

But it differs from the June event in significant ways:

• Only electronics and similar devices (see the complete list below) will be accepted, not the paper, Styrofoam, and appliances that are also handled in June.
• Any device containing data (such as laptops and towers but also copiers and printers) will immediately be put into a secure, locked area until it undergoes a strict wiping and destruction process to federal government standards.
• Many devices will be refurbished, repurposed, renewed and reused by BlairTech – not just recycled.
• Every piece of those items that can’t be reused will be recycled – not just the valuable components like metals that can be sold.
• And as a thank-you for recycling, anyone who drops off items will receive a coupon to shop for renewed PC’s and accessories at Tech Castle.“Sustainability has always been at the core of what we do,” said BlairTech’s marketing director, Laura Blair. “If a device cannot be refurbished, repurposed, or reused, it is meticulously broken down into categorized components (plastics, metals, etc.) and sent to vetted, certified downstream processors who share our zero-landfill commitment. Our zero-landfill policy means absolutely nothing brought into our facility enters a landfill – ever.”

Sheila Fields, the City’s Solid Waste and Recycling manager, said Covington was excited to have BlairTech as a partner, given its ironclad commitment to sustainability.

“This partnership offers local and convenient accessibility for proper disposal of electronic waste for our community at no charge not only on April 5th but anytime during the year,” Fields said. “Tech Castle and BlairTech are proud of their circular economy leadership that focuses on creating jobs, carbon offsetting, and keeping material out of the landfill.”

Acceptable items

• All computers and computer accessories, including desktops, towers, laptops, minis, mice, monitors, keyboards, servers, routers, modems, cables, power cords, hard drives, and Ram.
• Telephone equipment, including cellphones.
• Tablets.
• Printers.
• Copiers.
• Video game systems.
• TVs, VCRs and accessories. (Going forward, there will be a fee for flat screen TVs and CRT monitors and TVs, but that fee will be waived during the April 5 event.)
• Alkaline batteries. (Going forward, there will be a fee for these batteries, but that fee will be waived during the April 5 event.)

Why recycle?

• Keeping e-waste out of landfills protects water sources and reduces toxic waste pollution.
• Recycling electronics recovers rare metals and valuable materials like aluminum and copper, reducing the need for harmful mining.
• E-Waste is the fastest-growing waste problem in the world, making up 70 percent of toxic landfill waste despite being only 2 percent of landfill volume.

About BlairTech

• Celebrating 20 years in business with over a decade in Covington.
• Has 57 full-time employees.
• Tech Castle's current business hours are 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday. Tech Castle will be open on Saturday, April 5th for anyone that would like to stop in.
• One of the largest computer refurbishers in the United States, specializing in renewing high-quality desktops and laptops for consumers, businesses, and schools nationwide.
• Tech Castle (in the old Johnny’s Toys Castle) is its local retail storefront, electronics repair shop and recycling hub, where residents can shop for high-quality renewed technology, repair electronics, and drop off electronics for recycling year-round. The company also sells online at BlairTech.com and on e-commerce marketplaces.
• Facility is partially powered by solar energy.

• The world’s largest Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher, meaning all refurbished computers meet high-quality standards and come preloaded with a genuine, licensed version of Windows.
• NAID Certified, ensuring that all data is wiped beyond Department of Defense standards.

***

Starting Saturday, BlairTech will also be collecting gently used books to be featured in a “Little Free Library” on site and other Little Libraries around Covington, in conjunction with the City’s Read Ready Covington early childhood literacy program.

# # #