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The original item was published from 5/20/2023 2:16:50 PM to 5/28/2023 12:00:01 AM.

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Green Committee

Posted on: May 20, 2023

[ARCHIVED] News From the Green Committee: Recycle Tech and More at Staples, Make a Green Difference

Blue recycle bin with images of tech hardware falling into the bin with the words Free Tech Take Bac

That's the suggestion of the Egremont Green Committee and the Great Barrington Staples store. Staples offers a free recycling opportunity for your tech, ink, toner, batteries, writing tools, and more. For a list of recyclables and for what cannot be recycled, download the Free Tech Take Back flyer's list

Drop your eligible items at Staples during their store hours, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 7 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 6 PM.

Store management can refuse to accept items that may pose a health or safety risk (e.g., broken monitors not packed in a box, laptops with damaged batteries, etc.). Staples has a limit of 7 items per customer per day. 

Why recycle? The average American household has 24 electronic devices, not to mention all the electronics businesses use. Hundreds of millions of these devices become obsolete each year. That is one reason electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the United States.

Recycling electronics helps ensure that precious metals, aluminum, steel, plastics, and other materials are recycled. For example, there is 324 times more gold, 13 times more copper, and 6.5 times more silver in one pound of smartphones than a pound of ore found in typical mining operations. Recycling supports the recycling industry, helps create jobs in the United States, and diverts hazardous materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium from the air, water, and soil.



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