This section provides Greater Newburyport businesses with ways to reduce your impact on the environment and save money
Recycle Fluorescent Bulbs
How do you recycle bulbs?
- You can bring your fluorescent light bulbs to the recycling center (Location: Crow Lane, off Low Street) on the first Saturday of each month, 8-12 pm ($.07/foot)
- There are Mercury Waste Disposal Companies which provide mailback containers to send your bulbs to them for recycling Mercury Waste Disposal Companies
Why you shouldn’t throw light bulbs in the trash:
Most light bulbs used by businesses contain mercury, including fluorescent tubes and high-intensity discharge lamps. Disposing of these lamps in the trash is prohibited by state and federal regulations (310 CMR 30), and enforced by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Keeping mercury out of the trash through recycling can make a difference in our community and at your business. When an employee throws bulbs into a compactor or dumpster, the broken bulbs release mercury vapors that can be inhaled by anyone in the area.
Even small quantities of mercury are extremely toxic and can harm the human nervous system, vision and hearing. Mercury is especially dangerous for children and fetuses. The EPA recently estimated that every year 630,000 newborns in our country are at risk for health problems because of unsafe mercury levels.
Purchase Recycled Paper Products
All the information you need to find the right recycled paper products for your business can be found at www.conservatree.com. This website discusses specific brands of paper and provides national and regional store lists. It has information suitable for both small and large businesses.
Recycle Outdated Computers
How do you recycle computers?
The Crow Lane Recycle Center (Location: Crow Lane, Off Low Street) will take computers on the first Saturday of each month (8am – 12 noon). There is a small fee for recycling electronics that is subject to change.
Why recycle outdated computers?
A typical computer processor and cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor contain five to eight pounds of lead and other heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury. Even small quantities of these persistent toxins can reach harmful levels over time because they accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals. They also increase in concentrations as they move up the food chain. They have been linked to certain cancers as well as nervous system, reproductive and developmental problems. In Massachusetts, televisions and computer monitors are banned from landfills due to their lead and heavy metal content.
Recycling computers also reduces the need for new materials. When a computer or television is recycled, valuable materials such as gold, copper and silver are recovered for reuse. This diminishes the need for mining and also lessens pollution.
If a recycled computer is still in working condition, it will likely be cleaned of any data and sold, usually to people in the developing world. Non-working computers are broken down into their component parts. Some components may be sold as parts while others will be melted down for reuse.
Cell Phone and Print Cartridge Recycling
How do you recycle cell phones and print cartridges?
- Cell Phones and print cartridges can be brought to the Crow Lane Recycle Center (Location: Crow Lane, off Low Street) on the first Saturday of each month (8am – 12 noon). There is no charge for recycling these items.
- There are also a number of reycling programs that take toner Cartridges, inkjet cartridges, and cell phones to benefit charities. One of these organizations is http://www.recycle4charity.com and they provide labels for free shipping nationwide.
Massachusetts Earth 911 Business Website and Recycling Locator
Looking to save money, add value to the bottom line and help the environment? The new http://search.earth911.com website is an online resource that provides small and medium-sized businesses with:
- A ZIP Code specific locator to easily find local recycling service providers
- An expansive list of source reduction, reuse and recycling suggestions
- Guidelines on how to create a waste reduction plan, conduct a waste assessment and set up an office recycling program
- Information on how and where to buy recycled content products
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