Residents can dispose of their once loved, but now forsaken, old television sets and computer monitors on Saturday at the Pittsburgh Mills mall in Frazer, at an average fee of $25.
These are items that are not accepted in a typical residential trash collection.
For example, the picture tubes in older televisions contain lead and require special disposal. Most older electronic equipment is prohibited in state landfills.
Sponsored by the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC), the Hard to Recycle Collection Event will accept these recyclable items:
• Free recycling: Computers and related equipment, ink and toner cartridges, cellphones, microwave ovens and expanded polystyrene packaging, such as the hardened foam that TVs, desktop computers and many other items are shipped in.
• Recycling for a fee: CDs, DVDs, batteries, fluorescent tubes, small Freon appliances, small kitchen appliances, tires and vacuum cleaners.
Fees for computer monitors are $15, televisions $25 and projection televisions $35.
Previously, PRC recycled televisions for free.
Televisions are the most popular item PRC recycles at these special events. Last year, they collected a half-million pounds of electronic waste, of which 74 percent were old TVs, according to the nonprofit.
But earlier this year, PRC did not accept televisions for their first Hard to Recycle Collection event.
The state's interpretation on laws governing the payment for recycling TVs prevented the group from accepting them, according to Justin Stockdale, PRC western regional director.
“Unfortunately in 2016, consumers will have to pay the cost of recycling until the law can be amended,” he said.
The nonprofit gets nothing, Stockdale said.
“We are just passing the fee through from a private recycler that is certified to meet environmental standards,” he said.
According to the state's Covered Device Recycling Act, television manufacturers paid for the recycling.
“But it hasn't worked out that way, because the number of old TVs being brought in for recycling has outstripped the number of new TVs being sold,” said John Poister, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Plus, demand for what can be recycled from TVs has dropped, he said.
“There is an effort underway in the Legislature to rewrite the Covered Device act to deal with the new realities of the recycling business,” Poister said. “At this point, we have not seen the new proposed legislation.”
Mary Ann Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. She can be reached at 724-226-4691 or mthomas@tribweb.com.
