The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders announces that Union County will participate in a new system for recycling electronic products beginning on January 1, 2011. The Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company LLC (MRM) Collection Network will operate collection sites for the recycling of electronic products covered under the New Jersey Electronic Waste Management Act.
In addition, as of October 1, Union and Somerset counties entered a pilot project to test the program’s performance three months in advance of the state-mandated start-up date. The pilot is being funded by various manufacturers.
“As a participating partner in the MRM electronics network, Union County stands to save close to $73,000 in 2011, based on 2009 electronic-recycling poundage, in addition to savings realized over the three-month test period in 2010,” said Freeholder Rick Proctor, liaison to the Union County Solid Waste Advisory Council.
Under the New Jersey Electronic Waste Management Act, starting Jan. 1, 2011, manufacturers of certain electronic products that are used by households, small businesses and organizations are required to provide free and convenient recycling services. As a result, the cost of recycling and de-manufacturing various electronics will be billed to the electronic manufacturers rather than to the counties, as it had been done in the past.
The transition will be seamless for Union County residents who will continue to recycle electronics as they have been doing, even though only certain electronics are considered covered under the law. Union County will continue to use Newtech Recycling Inc. of Somerset NJ as its approved processor of electronics for MRM.
Union County residents can continue to recycle electronics at county computer and electronic collection events. The next event, the last one of the year, is scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Alcatel-Lucent Technologies in New Providence. Residents also can drop off electronics at Newtech Recycling Inc., located at 600A Apgar Drive, Somerset 08873, every Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Both drop-off opportunities are free.
Acceptable recyclable electronics include computers (CPUs), servers, monitors/terminals/CRTs, televisions, printers, fax machines, copiers, computer/laptop peripherals, telephones, cellular phones, telephone mainframes, keyboards, mice, cables, wiring, circuit boards, modems, power supplies, laptop and docking stations, audio-visual equipment, typewriters, VCRs, mainframe equipment, controllers, and camcorders.
For more information about the New Jersey Electronic Waste Management Act and about the MRM collection network, contact the Union County Bureau of Planning and Recycling at 908-654-9890. For information about recycling events sponsored by Union County visit www.ucnj.org