Add Event My Events Log In

Upcoming Events

    We see you appreciate a good vintage. But there comes a time to try something new. Click here to head over to the redesigned Louisville.com. It's where you'll find all of our latest work. And plenty of the good ol' stuff, too, looking better than ever.

    Bit to Do

    Bluegrass E-Cycle keeps your electronics out of landfills [Technology]
    Print this page

    The United States of America produces millions of tons of electronic waste every year. According to the Environmental Protection Agency web site, "EPA estimates that, in 2009, US consumers and businesses discarded televisions, computers, cell phones and hard copy peripherals (including printers, scanners, faxes) totaling 2.37 million tons. Approximately 25 percent of these electronics were collected for recycling, with the remainder disposed of primarily in landfills, where the precious metals cannot be recovered. "

    That's a whole lot of electronic waste ending up in landfills. What doesn't end up in landfills sometimes ends up over seas for people in developing countries to deal with. Some of them bust the monitors and other electronic waste open to retrieve precious metals to sell. They don't realize that lead and other toxic materials then leak into the soil and groundwater, causing birth defects and mutations. As more restrictions are put on the disposal of E-waste, a lot of people just hold on to their electronic waste. EPA also states that about 68% of people are storing electronic waste in their homes.

    Bluegrass E-Cycle is a local company that responsibly recycles discarded electronics. They are pending R2 certification, which certifies that their processing meets up to healthy standards. They follow the stuff that leaves their warehouse down to the last piece.

    You can view their web site for more information or to schedule a pick-up. They provide pick up and drop off, asset tag removal on all equipment, onsite physical hard drive destruction, as well as degaussing. to Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Ohio, Tennesse, and the entire region. They even offer a program that helps group fundraise with mobile recycling events, during which portable hard drive degaussing and destruction is available.

    Hard drive destruction or degaussing is important because information can be extracted from hard drives even if they (or the computers they are in) are not working. Criminals extract all kinds of personal information from hard drives found in landfills or  burning grounds in developing countries to use in scams.

    Some of the items they accept for recycling are:
    Batteries
    Cable
    CDs
    Cell Phones
    Circuit Boards
    Computers
    Consumer Electronics
    Game Consoles
    Ink and Toner Cartridges
    IT Equipment
    Keyboards
    Laptops
    Mice
    Modems
    Monitors
    MP3 Players
    Network Equipment
    Phone Systems
    Printers
    Routers
    Satellite Boxes
    Servers
    Speakers
    Switches
    Telecom Equipment
    UPS Units
    Video Games
    Wire

    Photo: Bluegrass E-Cycle sponsored an art installation that shows what future archaeologists might find if we don't recycle more of our technology.

    Jessica Lynn's picture

    About Jessica Lynn

    Jessica Lynn has been writing for Louisville.com since fall of 2010 and has also been published in LEO, Velocity, Voice-Tribune and others after serving as Editor in Chief of The JCC student newspaper, The Quadrangle. She has also served as columnist or contributing writer to an array of online publications.

    More from author:  

    Share On:

    Most Read Stories