Chicago Politician, URI Team up to Recycle Electronics

Earth Day event collected more than 100,000 pounds of electronics.

An April 23 electronics recycling drop-off event co-sponsored by Illinois Rep. John Millner (R-Carol Stream) and United Recycling Industries Inc. (URI) in West Chicago resulted in the collection of 810 computer monitors, as well as hundreds of personal computers and televisions and thousands of video games, cell phones and small appliances.

According to URI, more than 1,000 people brought more than 100,000 pounds of electronics to URI’s facility, which separates and recycles obsolete electronics.

URI co-sponsors the free, annual event each Earth Day. The rest of the year, URI accepts electronic equipment for 25 cents a pound, though cell phones are free, weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

“When the first Earth Day was celebrated 35 years ago, who could have imagined the volume of electronics scrap that every household could produce?” Bob Glavin, president of URI, says. “Now, electronics disposal is a problem because throwing these into our landfills harms the environment.”

Millner is co-sponsor of HB 1149, a proposed bill that would amend the Illinois Environmental Protect Act by creating a commission to investigate electronics disposal problems and recommend disposal programs.

URI, based in West Chicago with a second location in Franklin Park, Ill., reports that it diverts more than 35 million pounds of electronics scrap from landfills each year.