By Hannah Lutz, Staff Writer
Jackson’s recycling day was held on April 28 at the Jackson Fairgrounds Park. The event had stations to drop off prescription pills, electronics, paper and oil based paints.
City Councilman Ernest Brooks Jr. and the City of Jackson’s Health and Sanitation Department along with Union and other local organizations sponsored the third annual “e-cycle” event.
The United States has only six percent of the world’s population, but produces half of the world’s garbage.
The importance of recycling computers is to keep hazardous waste out of the landfill and out of land water.
“Many people have old computer equipment in their attics, basements, garages and closets that they do not know what to do with,” Brooks said “This is a free, easy and safe way for them to dispose of that equipment.”
According to “National Geographic,” it is estimated that 2.9 million desktops and 12 million laptops were discarded in 2007. About 40 percent of these could have been reused, but people did not know what to do with their data.
Brittney Denson, student life secretary and personal assistant to the dean of students, represented Union. Denson directed people dropping off their waste to the correct drop off site according to the product they are recycling.
“It is important for Union students to understand and be aware of the importance of recycling and how we can help our environment,” Denson said.
Southeast Recycled Fiber, which specializes in disposing of electronic equipment properly, and Sunrise Recycling Services were contracted with the event to make sure all items are recycled and destroyed properly.
Southeast Recycled Fiber uses a complete recovery and destruction system. After the equipment is disassembled the hard drives and other items containing data are wiped clean. Metals and parts that have value are recovered and recycled while the rest is shredded and disposed of properly. Sunrise Recycling Services provide a shredding of personal documents.
Gary Cordell, director of consumer affairs for Tennessee, volunteered at the paper shredding station. It is important to shred personal information that comes in the mail to prevent identity theft.
“This is a way to bring personal documents to a safe place to have them shredded,” Cordell said. The Madison County Sheriffs Department collected expired prescription drugs to properly discard of.
“Many times people flush expired prescriptions down the toilet, which sends the drugs into rivers and streams,” Cordell said.
Recycling is a way not only to clean out hazardous items in a home, but it helps protect our environment. On Union’s campus there are recycling bins for plastic, paper and aluminum. Students have an opportunity to participate in recycling every day not just on recycling day.
“The event today also is held to educated the public about the importance of recycling especially our young people, we partnered with several youth groups who came out to volunteer,” Brooks said.
