Disposing of that old TV, laptop or other computer device does not have to be difficult, but it's not as simple as throwing it in the trash.
As of Jan. 17, unless the municipality has a curbside recycling program for electronics, residents are no longer permitted to put your electronic devices such as TVs, computers, keyboards or printers out for the trash hauler to dispose of.
Colleen Connolly, northeast regional spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Protection, said the law will help save the environment.
The Covered Device Recycling Act of 2010 established rules governing recycling of specified electronic devices, established manufacturer responsibilities, landfill and trash haulers, among other guidelines.
In Schuylkill County, residents who want to dispose of such electronics can wait until the annual fall cleanup and recycling event scheduled for Sept. 16 through Sept. 28 at different sites in the county.
Lee Raring, solid waste and recycling coordinator for Schuylkill County, said residents can also take their items to the Bloomsburg Recycling Center. Raring said he does not know of any municipalities in Schuylkill County that have curbside recycling for electronic devices.
During the 2012 cleanup event, 73,091 pounds of TVs were collected, 20,421 pounds of computer monitors, 13,722 pounds of desktop computers, 177 pounds of laptops and 19,193 pounds of miscellaneous electronics were saved from going to a landfill, Raring said.
Ryan Patrick, general manager of Staples, located at the Cressona Mall, said recycling of electronics is free.
The electronics are sent to a warehouse in Maryland and then recycled, he said.
Office copiers and tube TVs are not accepted, Patrick said. The item doesn't have to be purchased at Staples to be recycled.
The free service is a big hit.
Doug Howell, operations manager for Kreitzer Sanitation, Frackville, said if a device covered under the act is at the curb for pickup, they will not pick it up. A fine from $300 to $1,000 can result if an applicable item is taken to a landfill, Connolly said.
To find out what is covered under the act, visit the DEP website, www.depweb.state.pa.us, or call 800-346-4242.