MENDOTA – Mendota observed Earth Day in a big way on April 22. An Electronics Recycling event was scheduled for that day, open to anyone and everyone, and just about everyone showed up with something to recycle.
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MENDOTA – Mendota observed Earth Day in a big way on April 22. An Electronics Recycling event was scheduled for that day, open to anyone and everyone, and just about everyone showed up with something to recycle.
The event was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and last until noon in the Mendota Civic Center parking lot, and people began lining up to drop off their items before 5 a.m. The line continued to form, and form, and form, until it was around Tom Merwin Drive to 14th Avenue, all the way south on 14th Avenue to Jefferson Street and curling back around on Park Avenue.
“At one point we estimated the line to be 350 vehicles long,” said Mendota city clerk Emily McConville, who along with her staff and other city employees were stationed either at the site or along the line of vehicles to make sure everything ran as smooth as possible. “We knew that it was going to be very big and we did the best we could to accommodate as many as we could.”
McConville said they had to stop the line at the ending time of noon, and after all of the vehicles were clear, workers from Vintage Tech/Kuusakoski Recycling of Plainfield loaded six semi trailers full of electronic recyclables.
“In past events we’ve averaged 65,000-70,000 pounds,” McConville said. “We know we had much more, but I hate to guess how much more.” Piles of recycled items waiting to be picked up were still located in the Civic Center parking lot the next day, so the exact total in pounds is not yet known.
“We are very thankful that Vintage Tech/Kuusakoski Recycling offered this at no cost, and their employees were very courteous and efficient,” added McConville.
“I also cannot thank the volunteers from Mendota enough for giving up their Saturday to pitch in and make the event happen. They did a great thing for many people that otherwise would not be able to get rid of their items.”
McConville said the event in Mendota definitely demonstrated that there is a problem that needs a more permanent solution. Items such as televisions, computers, copy machines and DVD players are banned from landfills, so there needs to be a way for people to get rid of them more frequently.
McConville said that the recycling company is planning another event in late May or early June in Ottawa. More information about that event will be available closer to the date.
