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PITTSBURG —
By now, most people have the hang of recycling everyday products like plastic bottles, newspapers, and aluminum cans. But what about bigger items that can’t just be tossed in a recycling container?
Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a growing problem at college campuses across the nation. As more and more computers, printers, monitors, and other electronic items break down or become outmoded, questions often arise as to where to put this equipment, which often contains materials that are not biodegradable and sometimes toxic.
Pittsburg State University is doing its part to stay ahead of the problem by striking a deal with two recycling centers to deal with these useful, but sometimes hazardous, materials.
“The number of computers that are going into landfills is astronomical,” said Jeff Stotts, campus environmental officer. “This effort, if people did it all the way across the United States, would save so much landfill space, it’s unbelievable.”
Thanks to SEK Recycling Center receiving a two-year grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, PSU will be able to take e-waste to the center. Once there, materials will be sorted and sent to Asset Life Cycle, a state-approved e-waste recycling specialist in Topeka.
“By issuing these grants, the state is saying ‘We’re going to handle these computers properly,’” Stotts said.
If equipment is broken, its valuable materials will be stripped and recycled. But often e-waste is perfectly usable - and in that case, it won’t remain waste for long.
“The whole point in the state program is to provide computers to people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to them,” Stotts said. “Something we might get rid of every five years around here could be valuable to people who still have a very outdated model.”
Departments with a buildup of e-waste will be able to access the e-waste collection log form through the physical plant Web site, which will be accessible in late October. Campus technicians will come and inspect and clean the computers, which will then be picked up by workers from general services and taken to the SEK Recycling Center.
“Yes, it will be more work for our department, but I certainly believe it’s worth it,” said Wanda Endicott, director of custodial and general services at PSU. “To keep our environment as healthy as we can, we all should do our part.”
General services supervisor Randy Scott and his crew have already unloaded a first batch of e-waste, and it was a big one. They hauled 105 monitors, three broken monitors, five printers, two copiers, 13 televisions, and 371 pounds of other e-waste, such as keyboards, mice and speakers, to the SEK Recycling Center on Sept. 18.
Monitors, printers, mice and keyboards are all a go – but computers can’t go out to be recycled when they’re still loaded with PSU data.
Elizabeth Shannon, assistant director of the Office of Information Systems, said hard drives will be wiped to Department of Defense standards. Beyond sensitive PSU data, computers often carry personal information as well.
“Any time that laptops get stolen or misplaced, or computers are stolen, there’s always sensitive information on them,” Shannon said. “It may not lead to identity theft, but it may be information that not everybody needs to know about.”
While PSU might have the biggest volume of e-waste to dispose of, Stotts said many community members probably have plenty of their own. They’re in luck, because the grant also allows individuals to drop off e-waste at the center for free.
“They can take microwaves and other e-waste,” Stotts said. “Anything with an electric cord on it, things like printer cartridges, these things are all e-waste. E-waste can mean a lot of things.”
For more information, go to www.kdheks.gov/waste/GCR/ewastefactsheet.pdf or www.getcaughtrecycling.org/, or contact Endicott at 620-235-4776 or Stotts at 620-235-4774-4774.
By now, most people have the hang of recycling everyday products like plastic bottles, newspapers, and aluminum cans. But what about bigger items that can’t just be tossed in a recycling container?
Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a growing problem at college campuses across the nation. As more and more computers, printers, monitors, and other electronic items break down or become outmoded, questions often arise as to where to put this equipment, which often contains materials that are not biodegradable and sometimes toxic.
Pittsburg State University is doing its part to stay ahead of the problem by striking a deal with two recycling centers to deal with these useful, but sometimes hazardous, materials.
“The number of computers that are going into landfills is astronomical,” said Jeff Stotts, campus environmental officer. “This effort, if people did it all the way across the United States, would save so much landfill space, it’s unbelievable.”
Thanks to SEK Recycling Center receiving a two-year grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, PSU will be able to take e-waste to the center. Once there, materials will be sorted and sent to Asset Life Cycle, a state-approved e-waste recycling specialist in Topeka.
“By issuing these grants, the state is saying ‘We’re going to handle these computers properly,’” Stotts said.
If equipment is broken, its valuable materials will be stripped and recycled. But often e-waste is perfectly usable - and in that case, it won’t remain waste for long.
“The whole point in the state program is to provide computers to people who wouldn’t otherwise have access to them,” Stotts said. “Something we might get rid of every five years around here could be valuable to people who still have a very outdated model.”
Departments with a buildup of e-waste will be able to access the e-waste collection log form through the physical plant Web site, which will be accessible in late October. Campus technicians will come and inspect and clean the computers, which will then be picked up by workers from general services and taken to the SEK Recycling Center.
“Yes, it will be more work for our department, but I certainly believe it’s worth it,” said Wanda Endicott, director of custodial and general services at PSU. “To keep our environment as healthy as we can, we all should do our part.”
General services supervisor Randy Scott and his crew have already unloaded a first batch of e-waste, and it was a big one. They hauled 105 monitors, three broken monitors, five printers, two copiers, 13 televisions, and 371 pounds of other e-waste, such as keyboards, mice and speakers, to the SEK Recycling Center on Sept. 18.
Monitors, printers, mice and keyboards are all a go – but computers can’t go out to be recycled when they’re still loaded with PSU data.
Elizabeth Shannon, assistant director of the Office of Information Systems, said hard drives will be wiped to Department of Defense standards. Beyond sensitive PSU data, computers often carry personal information as well.
“Any time that laptops get stolen or misplaced, or computers are stolen, there’s always sensitive information on them,” Shannon said. “It may not lead to identity theft, but it may be information that not everybody needs to know about.”
While PSU might have the biggest volume of e-waste to dispose of, Stotts said many community members probably have plenty of their own. They’re in luck, because the grant also allows individuals to drop off e-waste at the center for free.
“They can take microwaves and other e-waste,” Stotts said. “Anything with an electric cord on it, things like printer cartridges, these things are all e-waste. E-waste can mean a lot of things.”
For more information, go to www.kdheks.gov/waste/GCR/ewastefactsheet.pdf or www.getcaughtrecycling.org/, or contact Endicott at 620-235-4776 or Stotts at 620-235-4774-4774.
