Patch Follow-up: WITS Recycling Friday, March 18 at Family Arena

In December 2010, Lake Saint Louis Patch posted. Reporter Michelle Blodget talked to Web Innovations and Technology Services (WITS) about their program.

In the article WITS President Angela Haas said, "The way I see it is that what you see the most in the landfill is how what needs to be recycled should be defined," she said.  "So many parts of televisions, even the cords and wires, are recyclable." Recycling electronics is most commonly known as e-cycling, and the old electronics themselves are labeled as e-waste.  Haas disapproves of the term as a descriptor, stating, "We have to educate people that this is not trash."

Now, WITS is teaming with the City of St. Charles to offer a drop-off site in the Family Arena parking lot. This site will accept electronic and appliance drop-offs from noon until 6 p.m. on the third Friday of every month until November. That includes this Friday, March 18.

The service is free, but donations are encouraged. Items accepted include:

•  Any items with a cord
• batteries
• items that take batteries or gas
• lawn equipment
• computers and computer accessories
• household electronics including phones, radios, televisions and cable boxes
• appliances

Items NOT accepted include:

• Paint and paint cans,
• wood furniture and other wood products
• tires
• household chemicals
• weekly recycling items 

All donations of reusable items are tax-deductible. Whenever possible, items will be refurbished and donated to other charitable programs.

So rather than setting your recyclable items out in the trash and adding to landfills, load them up and take them to the Family Arena on Friday. It may be a little out of the way, but it's a wonderful investment in our environment and its future.