McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) will be hosting four residential electronics recycling events again this year with the help of Elgin Recycling. MCDH has also continued to partner with Paper Tiger Document Solutions for document destruction and The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County.
McHenry County residents who have done their spring cleaning can bring their electronic recyclables, documents, clean Styrofoam, textiles and bulbs to Milky Way Park, 300 Lawrence Road in Harvard, on April 17. A second event will be held at McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. Route 14 in Crystal Lake, on May 22. Each single-day recycling event is held from 9 a.m. to noon.
"In Illinois, it is illegal to throw away electronic devices such as printers, computer, computer monitors, televisions and more," said Solid Waste Manager Kelli Boeckmann. "These electronics contain hazardous materials that should never make it to landfills where the toxic materials from these devices can enter our land and water."
For the health and safety of our employees and volunteers masks are required at the event and we ask that you stay in your vehicle. To help maintain social distance, please place items to be recycled in the trunk of your vehicle.
The following electronic devices will be accepted:
Televisions and Computer Monitors (fee applies)
Computers (desktop, laptop, netbook, notebook, tablet), Keyboards, and Mice
Printers, Fax Machines, Scanners, Small Scale Servers
DVD Players, DVD Recorders, VCRs
Video Game Consoles
Electronic Keyboard and Portable Digital Music Players
Digital Converter Boxes, Cable and Satellite Receivers
Fees apply to recycle TVs and computer monitors ($15 for any size LCD monitor; $25 for all other units (flat screen and CRT) 20 inches or smaller; $35 for all other units (flat screen and CRT) 21 inches or longer. Elgin Recycling will accept credit cards or cash onsite. Masks must be worn to allow for payment transactions to occur. For additional items accepted but not listed, visit Elgin Recycling at elginrecycling.com or contact them by telephone at 847-741-4100.
If you are unable to make the event, Elgin Recycling has a facility located in Crystal Lake at 5114 East Terra to recycle electronics and other items. The facility is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Paper Tiger Document Solutions will provide a document shredding truck onsite to securely shred paper documents, free of charge. There is no limit to the number of boxes that one person can bring, we just ask that you are courteous to others. Document shredding will only be available until the truck is full. This event is for residential purposes only, no businesses please. Documents must be removed from 3-ring binders and/or binder clips prior to the event. Paper clips and staples are OK.
The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County will be collecting fluorescent tubes for a cost of $0.50 to $1 each; clean Styrofoam; packing peanuts; reusable bubble wrap and cloth items (clothing, linens, rags, and shoes tied together by the laces).
For more information about the recycling events, please visit Environmental Health's Solid Waste Program at mcdh.info. If you have questions about the event, please contact Solid Waste Coordinator Kelli Boeckmann by calling (815)334-4585.
