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Amanda Butterfield reportingThe University of Phoenix campus in Salt Lake took in old electronics today. There's now a room full of computers to be recycled.
The local company that does the recycling hopes to spread the word that if you have a plug or a battery, don't throw it away! It can all be recycled.
"We're sending these computers off to their final resting place," said Darris Howe, with the University of Phoenix.
The University of Phoenix has no need for several hard drives, monitors or keyboards anymore. But instead of being tossed, they'll be recycled. "We're trying to be green, environmentally conscious, so these computers don't end up in the landfill and pollute the landscape," Howe explained.
The University of Phoenix is one of the newest customers of Guaranteed Recycling Xperts (GRX), and all of its old equipment will eventually end up at the company's warehouse. GRX has been around just a couple years but is one of the leading electronic recyclers in the state.
"We recycle anything electronic," explained Eric Anderson, regional manager for GRX. "It's not like cans or paper, it does take some effort to get it back to the original components to be recycled."
Computers and TVs make up most of the inventory, and they literally have to be ripped apart. The circuit boards, backs of monitors, wiring and plastic are separated then re-used in backing new electronics.
When the old stuff goes to GRX instead of a landfill, it literally saves the earth. "In a monitor, four to 12 pounds of lead, on back end of monitor," Anderson said. "We don't want that to get in the ground and ground water."
Lead is just one toxic chemical found in this junk.
Though the stack of equipment waiting to be recycled looks impressive, Anderson says only about 10 percent of electronics in Utah gets recycled. The rest is likely going to landfills.
So, when you're ready to toss out your toaster, microwave or computer, if you toss it to GRX and not the garbage, you'll be saving the earth. "Saving it a lot, a lot," Anderson said.
Because it's such a process to take apart the electronics, you will have to pay to recycle them: about 25 cents a pound. In other words, a computer with the hard drive, speakers and keyboard would come to about $17.
If you'd like to recycle your electronics, the next recycling drop-off event is scheduled for this Saturday, April 19, at the Wild Oats store on 400 South and 600 East. You can drop off your recyclables any time between noon and 5 p.m.
For more information on GRX, click the related link.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
