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Clearly the most effective way to recycle is to FIND A NEW USE OR USER for the things you wish to dispose of. Your trash may be someone else's treasure. The key is making the effort to connect. Several organizations can help:
1. Donate working computers to non-profits by entering info into an online form and the National Cristina Foundation staff will then seek to match the donated computer technology to one or more of its partner organizations in the geographic area where the equipment is located. These partners are not for profit organizations or public agencies at the local, state or national level that provide education and/or training to people of all ages who have disabilities or who are economically disadvantaged. There are no membership fees in this grassroots network.Pentium III & Higher CPUs accepted. http://www.cristina.org/process.html
- The Habitat ReStore accepts new and used building materials and home improvement items from individuals and businesses and sells them to the general public. In addition to selling merchandise at 50-90 percent below retail, the Habitat ReStore is also helping save the environment by offering an alternative to dumping items in the landfill. Proceeds from the ReStore go directly toward helping Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis fulfill its mission of eradicating substandard housing.
Habitat ReStore
169 Scott Street» Click here for map
Memphis, TN 38112
For Store Information: (901) 323-9250
For Pick-up Information: (901) 761-4771 ext. 211
3. CraigsList has a category where you can offer items for free: http://memphis.craigslist.org/zip/ You'd be surprised what sorts of things people will come pick up from you and find a new use for!
4. The Freecycle Network™ is made up of 4,188 groups with 4,177,000 members across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer. Membership is free. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MemphisTNAreaFreecycle/ The Memphis TN Area Freecycle Network™ is open to all who want to "recycle" that special something rather than throw it away. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself! Nonprofit groups are also welcome to participate too! ONE RULE: everything must be free, legal, and appropriate for all ages.
5. Church of the River Spring Auction is a great way to find a new home for items of value ($25+) that you no longer need. Contact Pam Branham (272-0600) or Gwen Rose (276-3760).
e-Waste Harmful Materials
From earth911.org:
Electronic waste accounts for 70 percent of the overall toxic waste that you currently find in landfills. In addition to valuable metals like aluminum, electronics often contain hazardous materials like lead and mercury. When placed in a landfill, these materials (even in small doses) can contaminate soil as well as drinking water. Here’s a breakdown of what toxic material is found in your average electronic device.
Televisions
Back before there were plasma screen and liquid crystal display (LCD) tubes, we were all watching our Super Bowls and sitcoms on cathode ray tubes (CRT). The CRT model provided room for all your switches and wires in a box behind the screen, but it also stored a lot of lead.
Approximately 20 percent of CRTs are comprised of lead, equivalent to between four and eight pounds per unit.
Combine this with the fact that the FCC is going to require all televisions to run a digital signal by February 19, 2009, and we could be looking at a lot of lead headed for landfills. Even the smallest amounts of lead can be a serious issue, and we’re talking about eight pounds per unit.
Cellular Phones
While your trusty cellular phone may not contain as much toxic material as larger electronic devices, its shelf life is only about 18 months for the average consumer. With hip new products coming out all the time, it’s estimated there are over 500 million used cell phones ready for disposal.
Cell phone coatings are often made of lead, meaning that if these 500 million cell phones are disposed of in landfills it will result in 312,000 pounds of lead released. But possibly the most hazardous component of the cellular phone is the battery.
Cell phone batteries were originally composed of nickel and cadmium (Ni-Cd batteries). Cadmium is linked as a human carcinogen that causes lung and liver damage. Alternatives contain the potentially explosive lithium, or the previously stated toxic material lead.
Computers
We’ve already discussed the presence of lead in CRT computer monitors, but there are other toxic elements in play when you’re recycling that PC or Mac. Many laptops have a small fluorescent lamp in the screen that contains mercury, a toxic material when inhaled or digested.
Mercury is also contained in computer circuit boards, which also include lead and cadmium. Circuit boards can also feature batteries made of mercury, as well as mercury switches.
In just 2005, almost two million tons of e-waste ended up in landfills. While toxic materials comprise only a small amount of this volume, it doesn’t take much lead or mercury to contaminate an area’s soil or water supply. Keep this in mind when you’re figuring out what to do with those old electronic devices.
Batteries
Batteries are a unique product comprised of heavy metals that include nickel cadmium, alkaline, mercury, nickel metal hydride and lead acid. If not properly disposed of they are a significant threat to our environment.
Local Recycle Collection Drop-Off Locations for Consumers
Non-working Computers and other electronic equipment:
MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION FACILITY, 6305 Haley Rd, recycles through:
TORNRC LLC / 5R Processors, Ltd. (The Oak Ridge National Recycling Center) is a closed loop, EPA registered, complete recycler of retired, end-of-life and surplus computer/electronic equipment. Our Mission statement is to Reuse, Recover, Reclaim, Refurbish and Recycle within a closed loop. All our processes are done at our facilities, they are not brokered out.
Accepts computers, printers, monitors, servers, copiers, fax machines, ink cartridges, cell phones, peripherals, fluorescent bulbs, batteries, test/lab equipment, scanners, telephones, typewriters, calculators, microwaves, circuit board, video boards, wire, and miscellaneous electrical equipment. There may be a small fee for certain items, such as $5 for CRT/monitors.
3274 Democrat Road
901-546-0088
Drop off: 9-noon; 1-3:30. Call first.
Fluorescent bulb (and other Mercury-containing lights) recycling:
MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION FACILITY, 6305 Haley Rd, recycles through:
Southeast Recycling Tech., Inc. 3111 Norbrook Dr.
Memphis, TN 38116
Contact: David Wages
Phone: 901-346-1232 or 800-592-3970
Automobile and Rechargable Batteries:
MEMPHIS AND SHELBY HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION FACILITY, COUNTY 6305 Haley Rd
http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/dropoff/index.php (Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation) Enter your Zip Code and find a list of local dropoff spots.
Plastic Grocery Bags:
These locations will facilitate closed loop recycling via companies that make things like decking and trash bags.
Wal-Mart (All Locations)
Schnuck’s (All Locations)
Newspapers, Magazines, Phone Books, Junk Mail, Shredded Paper, Cans, Bottles:
We now have a recycling bin for aluminum cans in the Mississippi River Room, courtesy of the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. One pound of aluminum from us will buy two pounds of food for the animals at the HSMSC!
1. Downtown - Located in the gravel parking area on Mud Island Drive at the North entrance to Mud Island Park.
2. East Memphis - Located on Moore Ed, approx. 300 yards off Germantown Parkway So., just south of the Shelby Showplace Arena at the Agricenter International.
3. Midtown - Located on the corner of Cooper and Walker at the First Congregational Church.
4. Southeast - Located at the Hickory Hill Community Center at 3910 Ridgeway.
5. FCR - 3197 Farrisview Blvd. (located off American Way just west of Lamar intersection) This is the City’s recycling processing facility operated by FCR of Tennessee. Place recycling material in carts located just outside the gate. For information, call 576-6851 Ext.1. There are two tan containers for your convenience, one for paper items only and the other for cans and bottles.
Cell Phone Drop Offs:
Our RE program benefits when you bring yours and put them in the box so marked in the Mississippi River Room .
You can also help the Zoo. Answer the “Call of the Wild” by recycling your old cell phones at the Memphis Zoo. A recycling box is located in the administration building near the receptionist’s desk. All the funds raised for this recycling program will go toward the Lola Ya Bonobo Sanctuary in the Congo.
Unused Medications:
Dispose of in household trash NOT in the toilet or sink.
Keep products in their original containers. (Remove or black out your personal information.) Pharmaceutical container caps are typically watertight and child proof.
Add a small amount of water to a solid drug or some absorbent material such as kitty litter, sawdust or flour, to liquid drugs before recapping to discourage any unintended use of the drug.
Double seal the container in another container or heavy bag to prevent easy identification of the drug container or to prevent a glass container from breaking.
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