A drive-thru electronics recycling event held for the first time last year returns to Ellijay Saturday, Nov. 13.
Presented by Keep Gilmer Beautiful (KGB), it will take place in the county courthouse/Dalton State College parking lot from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
The public is invited to bring and drop off a variety of unwanted electronic devices, which will be collected in a box truck by Alpharetta-based Atlanta Recycling Solutions.
“The more people bring, the happier we are,” said Ron Cheslock, KGB board chairman.
Although events and large gatherings were limited when KGB held its first e-recycling day last September, the contactless drive-thru approach and a need for the specialized service resulted in just under 10,000 pounds of electronics being collected, Cheslock noted.
“We almost weren’t able to shut the door to the truck. We’re all aware of the struggles we had due to the COVID situation, but it was very successful. The board agreed we would host another one this year,” he added.
The same types of electronics will be accepted at the upcoming e-recycling event, Cheslock confirmed.
Most items can be dropped off for free, but a $10 fee will be charged for CRT devices and a $20 fee for all TVs. Cash will be the only form of payment accepted for these fees, Cheslock said.
Per event guidelines, console and projection TVs will not be accepted.
Items that will be accepted include desktop and laptop computers, LCD monitors, cell phones, desktop phones, keyboards, mice and gaming consoles. Items not accepted include alkaline batteries, gas powered tools, vacuum cleaners and kitchen appliances. A complete list of items can be found online at KeepGilmerBeautiful.org.
The event gives KGB members an opportunity to further promote recycling in the community, while also providing a unique service free of charge to most.
Cheslock said the e-recycling day will likely remain a recurring annual event, and KGB board members are exploring the possibility of adding a paper shredding service next year.
E-recycling also prevents a lot of unwanted electronic devices from winding up in a landfill, noted Jay Zipperman, past KGB board chairman.
“The idea is for us to dispose of all this stuff and recycle it properly. The company is zero waste, which means they break all this material down and separate out things like the plastic, cables, metal and copper. They break it all down to where it all gets recycled properly,” he added.
The recycling company brings the truck, wooden pallets and employees to assist with loading the dropped-off devices. If all pallets are filled, KGB is not charged for the service, Cheslock noted.
“Based on what (we saw) last year, and hope to see this year, there is definitely a need for it,” he said.