Electronic disposal event scheduled

Unneeded or nonworking electronic waste can be safely disposed at the Hot Springs Convention Center during the annual electronic waste recycling event in August.

The free recycling event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 8-9 and is designed to benefit schools, businesses, public facilities, and residents of Garland, Clark and Hot Spring counties.

"We'll have a sign on Malvern Avenue at the intersection of Church Street to direct traffic to the back of the convention center, and signs directing people to the entrance and exit of the event," Margie Hillistad, operations manager for the Hot Springs Sanitation Department, said Monday.

Garland County residents can drive into halls B and C of the convention center through the Church Street entrance to drop off their items. Hot Spring County residents can take items to the Hot Spring County Solid Waste Authority, 1904 E. Page Ave., Malvern, and Clark County residents can go to the Clark County Fairgrounds, 1501 Highway 67 south, Arkadelphia. The Clark County location closes at noon on Saturday.

Hillistad, who is chairwoman of the event, said in a news release that items accepted include cellphones, MP3 players, video game players, communication systems, copiers, printers and plotters, audio visual equipment, televisions, fax machines, medical equipment, microfiche readers, modems, cameras, calculators, tape drives, test equipment, and computer equipment.

"The hard drives of computers will be destroyed and cellphones will be wiped clean," Hillistad said Monday.

"Unicorp works under the same guidelines as any federal government agency, so everything is wiped and there is nothing left on the hard drives," she said.

Hillistad also said that any size television will be accepted for disposal.

"This event is designed to handle large volumes of recyclable electronics that may currently be occupying valuable storage space waiting to be discarded," she said in the release.

Residents can also take small quantities of electronic products to the event which is sponsored by the Southwest Central Regional Solid Waste Management District in cooperation with the Hot Springs Sanitation Department.

Call 321-6911 for more information.

Local on 07/29/2014

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