New Yorkers Help Make Tons (More Than 125, to be Exact) of Difference

NEW YORK, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Since 2007, Tekserve and the Lower East Side Ecology Center have collected more than 125 tons of electronics for recycling, helping to keep toxic materials out of landfills and incinerators. Several times a year, New Yorkers bring their old computers, printers, monitors, iPods, cell phones, and anything else with electronic components to Tekserve's eWaste Recycling Events. At the last drive alone, more than 1,000 recyclers came out to properly dispose of nearly 24 tons of unwanted electronics.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100928/NY72135 )

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100928/NY72135 )

The next chance for New Yorkers to safely dispose of electronics at Tekserve is coming up on Saturday, October 9th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tekserve is located at 119 West 23rd Street (near 6th Avenue).

All recyclers at the event can enter Tekserve's raffle for either a MacBook Pro or an iMac (winner's choice) and will receive a $25 coupon toward the purchase of a Mac or iPod (except the iPod shuffle) at Tekserve.

A complete list of items accepted at the event, along with video and photos from the last one, can be found at tekserve.com/recycling.

The Importance of Recycling

Dumping electronics in landfills or burning them in incinerators presents a significant environmental hazard.

Forty percent of all lead in landfills comes from electronics — old CRT monitors alone have six to eight pounds of lead and other heavy metals like arsenic. The problem is that rain percolates through landfills, taking these toxins into the water table and supply. Landfills do have liners to prevent this from happening, but these liners often burst. Putting electronics in incinerators is just as bad. Incinerators don't capture all the heavy metals, and burning of plastic releases toxic gases into the air.

New York City currently offers no eWaste drop-off program of its own. But a new law recently passed by State legislature, beginning April of next year, will require electronics manufacturers to offer take-back programs. Tekserve and the Lower East Side Ecology Center are proud to lead the way in helping New Yorkers recycle.

Tekserve is New York's largest independent Apple store and service facility. Tekserve has been serving the local New York City community for over 20 years, offering the newest family of Macs, iPods, the iPad, plus the City's best selection of accessories, cases, bags, and gear. Tekserve also offers while-you-wait configuration, service and repairs, software, professional audio, video, and graphic solutions, rentals, seminars, training, data recovery, on-site service, and plain ol' good advice. For more information, visit www.tekserve.com or call 212 929-3645.

The Lower East Side Ecology Center has been active in educating and promoting environmental initiatives since 1987. For more information on what the LESEC does and how you can be involved, call 212 477-4022 or visit their website at www.lesecologycenter.org.

CONTACT: August S. Guyot | 212 929-3645 x414 | [email protected]

SOURCE Tekserve