Those wishing to recycle old electronics can participate in a recycling program next week hosted by Alcoa as part of a series of Earth Day activities.

The company will host an electronics recycling event from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at its Intalco Works facility at 4050 Mountain View Road in Ferndale. Employees and community residents are invited to drop off old computers, laptops, printers, cell phones and computer monitors that will be recycled.  

“People don’t always know where to recycle their old electronics and too often they end up in the garbage and eventually a landfill,” said Jerry Morton, Alcoa senior environmental consultant. “We’re hosting the recycling event at Alcoa locations nationwide to provide easy access to recycle obsolete electronics in a manner that helps protect our environment.”

Alcoa recently announced a minority investment in Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the largest U.S. recycler of electronics waste. Consumer electronics is a fast-growing market for Alcoa’s aluminum, due to our metal’s light weight, durability, heat conductivity and limitless surface finishes. The partnership brings Alcoa’s recycling expertise to help solve the growing challenge of e-waste, while driving aluminum recycling rates up. Alcoa also became a certified ‘E-Steward’ through the Basel Action Network, affirming our commitment to the responsible disposal of our own electronics waste.

“As the use of aluminum continues to increase in consumer goods, we want to educate our community about the sustainability of our products and encourage them to think twice before discarding any material that can be recycled,” said Barry Hullett, Intalco Plant Manager. “Every time aluminum is recycled, it uses 95 percent less energy than when it was first made. Hosting this event is a way we can promote recycling and also advocate the recycling of sustainable aluminum to help preserve our precious energy resources.”

Intalco will accept donations until the e-recycling transport capacity is full, and will then direct e-recyclers to one of several facilities who accept electronic solid waste in Whatcom County. The e-recyclers in Whatcom County will also accept television sets, computers, monitors and laptop computers free of charge. Other items that may be dropped off for recycling include televisions, monitors, laptops, plasma screens, LCDs, printers, key boards, mice, stereo equipment, network equipment, servers, telecom equipment, DVD players, copy machines, cell phones, fax machines and other office equipment.