Schuylkill County is gearing up for the Fall Cleanup next week.
The county commissioners finalized the agreement Wednesday with Vintage Tech Recyclers, Philadelphia, to collect electronics at the 13 sites participating in the countywide event. The company will provide the service for free, while the county will only have to purchase the pallets and boxes necessary from Kuusakoski Recycling, Philadelphia. Vintage Tech operates under the state original equipment manufacturer program and is unable to charge for the service. County residents will not be charged to dispose their electronics.
The annual recycling event provides an opportunity for county residents to drop off tires, electronics, appliances, scrap metal and bulky items at various times and sites throughout the county over the course of two weeks. It is scheduled for Sept. 16 to 26 this year at 13 sites: Pottsville, Hegins Township, Minersville, CES Landfill, Girardville, North Manheim Township, Pine Grove, Schuylkill Haven, Wayne Township, Porter Township, Tamaqua Transfer Station, Ringtown and Tremont Township.
It is funded through the county commissioners and the state Department of Environmental Protection, which reimburses the county up to 50 percent of the costs.
Some items like tires, Freon-bearing appliances and bulky items will be accepted at a cost. However, electronics such as television sets, microwaves and computer systems will be accepted at no charge. A computer system includes a monitor, a hard drive and one printer or scanner and peripherals.
The recycling event last year collected:
• 45.33 tons of scrap tires
• 202.29 tons of scrap electronics
• 48.85 tons of scrap metals
• 84.34 tons of bulky items
Earlier this month, the county opened bids for the event. Mahantango Enterprises Inc., Liverpool, was the only company that submitted a bid for waste tire collection. The bid was $70 per ton and different pull costs for each site ranging from $440 to $800. No bids were submitted at that time to collect the electronic materials.
For more information on the annual Fall Cleanup, visit the county office of solid waste and resource management website at www.co.schuylkill.pa.us/Offices/Recycles.