I hope your holidays have been great.  Once the decorations are taken down, the gift-wrap and boxes are ready to be tossed, and your new appliances and data devices replace the old that will be discarded, please remember to recycle.

While our household recycling efforts usually focus on glass bottles, aluminum cans, newspaper and cardboard, you should also know that old or outdated electronic devices could be recycled, rather than collecting dust in your garage or attic.  Accepted items include:

• Audio/visual equipment such as VCRs and stereos
• Cell phones and rechargeable batteries
• Computer CPUs and laptops, monitors, keyboards, mouse devices, printers and scanners
• Televisions
• Phones and fax machines
• Holiday lights

Palm Beach County residents can bring these items to any of seven Solid Waste Authority (SWA) Home Chemical and Recycling Centers.  For North County, the closest facilities are:

North County Transfer Station, 14185 N. Military Trail (SWA Road) Jupiter
Open Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM; Saturday 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM

West Palm Beach Home Chemical and Recycling Center, 6161 N. Jog Road, West Palm Beach
Monday – Saturday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Components of items collected at the transfer stations are reused when possible.  By recycling electronics, you can help protect the health of your community and environment, and reduce the pollution created and energy needed to make new products.

The transfer stations and recycling centers also accept all types of household hazardous waste.

As another option, many big box stores and larger retail chains accept certain materials like rechargeable batteries, used oil, cell phones and electronics.  Use the Where to Recycle feature on the Earth 911 website to find additional sites near you.

SWA shares recycling revenues with the cities it serves.  In fiscal year 2019, more than $100,000 was shared with municipalities from Tequesta to Boca Raton.  Last year, county residents placed more than 90,000 tons of recyclables in their blue and yellow bins.  That’s more than 180 million pounds of recyclable waste that would have otherwise been trashed.

The SWA has adapted to fluctuations in the recyclables market.  By employing a dual stream or two- bin system and separating recyclables, we can process more materials that are preferred domestically and abroad.  Additionally, mixed plastics and mixed bales of paper not acceptable on the market can be burned at our waste-to-energy facilities where it is converted into electricity and sold to Florida Power & Light Co.

Your efforts to recycle are greatly appreciated and so important to sustaining a healthy and thriving environment.  If you’d like more information, go to the SWA.org website, or contact me at (561) 355-2201, or by email at hvaleche@pbcgov.org.  My staff and I are happy to assist you.