Liverpool (WSYR-TV) - If you were given a new television for Christmas, you can no longer kick the old one to the curb. A state law passed a few months ago says you have to be careful with electronic waste – including televisions and computers.
“This is the first Christmas you can't just dump it or throw it to the dump or hide it in trash bags. You're going to get caught. So now there's a safe way to do it. You can bring it here 24 hours a day. Drop it off in the bins outside and be rest assured everything's being taken care of properly,” said Jonathan Nappa, owner of Bruin Computer Trading in Liverpool.
Bruin Computer Trading has received 550 televisions since Christmas.
Liverpool resident Tom Fodaro has dropped off three at the location.
“It’s great. You don’t have to walk in – don’t have to get slips of paper…permission…they just put the sign there and it’s nice community involvement,” said Fodaro.
Bruin Computer Trading prefers that electronics aren’t completely destroyed before they arrive.
“They can be broke, smashed up. Well, we try not to get the smashed ones in here cause there is some mercury inside them,” Nappa said.
The old televisions are then shipped to Pennsylvania where they’re safely disposed of.
“Can be any size, any shape…can even be the wood counsel ones that are horrible but we still take them,” Nappa said.
The Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency has a list of places qualified to take and dispose of your electronic waste here:
http://www.ocrra.org/recycling_c3.asp
