That extra computer monitor sitting in the closet or that old printer gathering dust in the office can be brought in for recycling or reuse Monday through Friday for the low, low price of free.
The Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council will be offering a week of free recycling for individuals and businesses in observance of Earth Day, with festivities downtown Sunday beginning at noon.
Although most of the electronics the nonprofit recycling council receives can be recycled for free, there are nominal fees for difficult-to-recycle items such as printers, fax machines or some computer monitors.
“Those things have a cost for us to recycle,” said Nancy Jo Craig, executive director of the nonprofit Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council.
The fees are normally waived for schools or nonprofits, but this week that waiver will apply to everyone, Craig said.
The only thing that will apply this week is the mileage cost if a business asks the nonprofit to pick up the electronic equipment.
The nonprofit tries to refurbish whatever electronic equipment is still usable, then sells the equipment at a discount or donates it to schools, nonprofits or low-income families.
Craig said that between 60 percent and 70 percent of the donated items are beyond the point of repair and reuse, so those items are recycled.
“But reuse is far better than recycling,” she said.
Recycling means an item is dismantled to get down to the common material that can be used again, but reusing means the item can serve for more years, giving a cost benefit on the energy that went into producing it, she said.
Items that are accepted include: computer hardware, computer accessories (keyboards, mice, speakers), CRT monitors, flat-screen monitors, printers, telephones, telephone systems, security systems, cellphones/bag phones, beepers and networking equipment.
Also, fax machines, circuit boards (of any type), processors, telephone and computer cable, DVD and VCR players, stereo equipment, speakers, any type of cord, uninterruptible power supplies, toner cartridges and inkjet cartridges.
Items that aren’t accepted include televisions, appliances, copiers and furniture.
Capital Area Corporate Recycling Council also will be accepting items as it participates in the Baton Rouge Community College Geaux Green event from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the fountain, greenhouse and cypress-magnolia area of campus.
The Recycling Council is at 1400 Main St. Store hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Donation hours also are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. For information, call (225) 379-3577 or log onto cacrc.com.