- More than 500 people participated in community e-waste recycling event to
keep hazardous electronic waste from local landfills and contribute to a
greener Denver -
- Supporting sponsors Planet Green and City and County of Denver and
e-waste recyclers GRX and Waste Management contributed to event's success -
DENVER, July 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- With car trunks packed and
truck beds full, Denver-area residents came from near and far to
responsibly recycle their unused TVs, computer monitors and other e-waste
at Comcast Colorado's 'Screen to Green' Recycling Rally held June 28 in
downtown Denver on the Auraria Campus. More than 70,000 pounds of e-waste
including nearly 1,000 screens and computer monitors were collected at the
event in just four hours.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080701/LATU099)
Denver-area residents were able to easily drop-off their unused
electronics for a reduced rate at the event where e-waste recyclers
Guaranteed Recycling Xperts (GRX) and Waste Management collected the
e-waste and prepared it to be responsibly recycled. On average, each
participant recycled about two screens per vehicle. In addition to
recycling, participants received a mini-education on electronics recycling
through the event's 'e-Waste Education Alley' that was staffed by
volunteers armed with knowledge and facts about electronics recycling.
Participants learned that electronic waste, including TVs, if
improperly disposed could become toxic waste. Electronics are full of toxic
materials such as lead, mercury and beryllium and other elements that if
not responsibly managed, could be harmful to people and the environment.
Also, each TV or computer monitor may contain up to eight pounds of lead.
When televisions and other e-waste are discarded and crushed in landfills,
they may leach chemicals into groundwater and pollute the air. The Screen
to Green Recycling Rally provided residents with the opportunity to
responsibly recycle their electronics and keep them out of local landfills.
"Every TV, computer screen and unused electronic item that is kept from
a landfill is a positive step towards protecting our local environment,"
said Scott Binder, senior vice president of Comcast Colorado. "As a leading
provider in entertainment, information and communications services, we know
that our reach and relationships can be employed to educate and engage
consumers on this important issue. As consumers choose new technology to
harness the power of high-definition television and other advanced
services, it is important for consumers to know they should responsibly
recycle their old technology as they embrace the new."
"The success of our Denver Screen to Green event exemplifies the
tangible impact we can make on the environment when consumers, public and
private entities unite for a common goal," said Michael Hancock, Denver
City Council president. "Our primary objective is to educate consumers
about the safe reuse and recycling of electronics and to keep obsolete and
potentially hazardous electronics from our local landfills. We're pleased
to have participated in Screen to Green in connection with Comcast, Planet
Green and our e-waste recyclers Waste Management and GRX in creating a
greener and cleaner Denver."
In addition to keeping electronics out of landfills to protect the
environment, recycling has additional benefits. For example, valuable
resources such as precious metals, plastics and glass can be extracted and
reused. According to the U.S. EPA, reusing and recycling these materials
from end-of-life electronics conserves natural resources and avoids air and
water pollution as well as green house gases that are emitted by the
manufacturing of new products.
"Every TV that is kept out of a landfill is triumph for the
environment," said Lori McFarling, divisional marketing officer, Domestic
Distribution and Enterprises, Discovery Communications -- the parent
company of Planet Green. "One of the goals of Discovery's new Planet Green
initiative is to encourage people to make more environmentally conscious
decisions, and Screen to Green provides a great opportunity for consumers
to contribute their part to protecting the planet."
For those residents who were unable to drop off their electronics at
the Screen to Green event, there are additional ways that consumers can
responsibly recycle their electronics. Consumers may drop off their TVs,
computer monitors and other unused electronics at approved local e-waste
recycling facilities. The City and County of Denver maintains a list of
approved recyclers at http://www.denvergov.org/DenverRecycles. Residents
may also call '311' for more information. It is important to note that
residents should not place their obsolete electronics in City trash
containers or alleyways.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA; CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is
the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and
communications products and services. With 24.7 million cable customers,
14.1 million high-speed Internet customers, and 5.2 million voice
customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management
and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming
content. In Colorado, Comcast serves more than 815,000 customers and
employs approximately 4,500 people.
Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment
Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout,
TV One, ten regional Comcast SportsNets and Comcast Interactive Media,
which develops and operates Comcast's Internet business. Comcast also has a
majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the
Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball
team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.
About Screen to Green
Screen to Green (S2G) is an innovative recycling and education
initiative developed for the cable television community to engage consumers
in a responsible recycling solution for unused televisions to better the
environment. Televisions that are tossed into landfills pose a major threat
to people and the environment as they contain significant amounts of toxic
materials. Screen to Green provides a comprehensive program to partner
cable companies and consumers to safely recycle TVs and repurpose their
parts. Developed in 2007 by October Strategies, Inc., a Denver-based
strategic communications firm, Screen to Green is dedicated to the highest
standards of responsible recycling and bettering the communities where
cable conducts business. For more information, please visit
http://www.screentogreen.com.
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