The following has been reported in trade journals for solid waste and recycling, including the "Residential Recycling Report," an on-line arm of Waste and Recycling News:

HolidayLEDs.com has extended its holiday recycling opportunity.  People may ship their old strands of conventional (and unreliable) incandescent lights for coupons good for new strands of LED holiday lights.

For more information, visit HolidayLEDs.com.

The Olympics provide some welcome relief from political news, bad weather (although Vancouver weather has not been Olympic-friendly), and disaster stories.  We can all use a little escapism for sure.  However, for recyclers the Olympics have some extra shine.  The medals give recyclers an opportunity to pump their fists in the air and proclaim, "YES!"

E-Scrap News, an electronic publication that is an arm of Resource Recycling magazine reports: "As Lindsay Vonn tries to ride her bruised shin to another gold, that gold medal is made using metals recovered from end-of-life electronics (as previously reported). The metals come from equipment processed by local B.C. firm Teck Resources Ltd., and Brussels, Belgium-based Umicore."

In another report, I learned that each medal is unique.  Instead of being stamped in a mold, each is hand-cut, providing a slightly different shape.  This seems a fitting recognition of the unique people who achieve medal status and the "thrill of victory."

Electronics are always a difficult category of materials to recycle.  We are addicted to gadgets and larger items that improve - or complicate - our lives in many ways.  The problem is that when we move on to a new, better model, or an old model stops working, we are left with something that we know should not be put into the trash.  Add to the reluctance to send these items to the landfill, the resistance to just toss something that was very pricey, and now we are left with a real difficulty.  What to do?

There are many places that will collect cell phones.  These programs may earn some cash for a non-profit organization, or they may just make sure that phones are properly handled.  Often they are refurbished to be used by elderly or at-risk people so that they can at least call 9-1-1, if needed.

Computers and other larger electronics are more problematic.  There are a few places in Wayne County where individuals can take electronics for recycling.  Usually, everything except monitors and televisions may be left for free.  Monitors and televisions may not be accepted at these local shops.  They have to be taken to electronic recycling firms.  There are a few, unfortunately none in Wayne County, but close-by in Ontario and Monroe County.  A search for "electronics recyclers Rochester NY" will find some in any search engine.

It is important to keep electronics out of landfills.  The heavy metals contained in the products can be dangerous if they should be leached into the water that passes through lanfills.  While landfills are protected from direct rain or snow at the close of each day and at the end of their lives, a surprising amount of liquid passes through them.  This leachate is collected for treatment at local waste water treatment plants.  However, these plants are not equipped to remove some chemicals that are in the leachate.  The metals then stay either in the sludge from the plant or in the water discharged from the plant.

Recycling brochures are now mailed in Wayne County. We at the office have been hearing from residents all around Wayne County.  Some are new residents who did not know that curbside recycling is available - and already paid for as a part of their county taxes!  Some are residents whose Blue Boxes are "gone with the wind" or very old and beat up from years of use.  The brochure provided contact information so they are easily able to call and request a new Blue Box.  These are provided without charge.

The mailing of the brochures is a significant event in the recycling program.  We find that many people need the information in their hands to get started or to reconnect with the recycling program.  US EPA estimates that each person can recycle about 1.5 lbs. of materials each day.  In the two-week cycle of collection, that amounts to over 20 lbs. of materials per person that could be collected for recycling.  While one person's recycling, or one family's recycling does not seem to be that much, over the course of a month or a year, the recycling accumulates.

Since the recycling collection trucks are travelling every public road in Wayne County every two weeks, it is much more efficient for as many households to recycle as possible.  Beyond the efficiency, the revenue from the recycling materials is used to support the program, easing the burden on tax payers.  So it makes sense for people to recycle.  Not only are they helping the environment in many ways, they are both taking advantage of a tax-supported program, AND making the program more efficient!

Recycling pays off in many ways.