FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2000

CARY, NC – Computers in Cary—or at least their components--may be just 90 days away from life after death. Continuing with its pledge to lead the State in preserving and protecting the environment, the Town of Cary is finalizing plans to facilitate recycling of personal computers. Cary began examining the viability computer recycling several months ago based on comments from citizens and Town Council members.

To this end, Town staff is analyzing what type of process will be best to collect the computers—such as special curbside collection—and engaged in talks with a half dozen or so local and regional companies about taking the computers once collected. Cognizant of the popularity of getting new computers during the holiday season, Town officials are working aggressively to have an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly recycling program in place by Christmas.

"We want develop a process that results in the highest percentage of the computers’ components being recycled at the lowest cost to Cary citizens," said Town of Cary Public Works Director Mike Bajorek.

In 1998, over 20 million personal computers became obsolete in the United States, according to the National Safety Council. About half a million of these were In Triangle homes, and with the thought that these units will becomes obsolete in five years, area governments will have to deal with them by 2002, either through disposal in the landfill or through recycling.

"Dealing appropriately with these large volume complex materials—including finding good markets for resale—is a real challenge in the field of solid waste management." said Cary’s new Recycling & Solid Waste Specialist Karen Hales. "Our goal for the computer recycling initiative is to reduce the amount of computers going into the landfill, reuse the computers that can be reused, and recycle the different components of the rest."

Last year, the Town of Cary diverted over 16,000 tons of waste from the landfill, 7,000 tons of which came from the curbside collection of 16 types of recyclables.

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