Statewide electronics landfill ban starts Jan. 1

LOMBARD, Illinois—The Village of Lombard reminds residents that a statewide electronics landfill ban will go into effect January 1, 2012. This means that with the start of the new year, electronic items will not be able to be disposed as trash. Rather, they must be recycled by a registered collector, recycler and/or manufacturer.

The following electronic items are included in the ban: computers, monitors, printers, laptops, televisions, keyboards, fax machines, recorders, mp3 players, video consoles, DVD players, computer mouse, scanners, digital converter box, cable receivers, satellite receivers, DVRs or small-scale servers.

There are several free municipal drop-off locations for electronics recycling. The nearest location for most Lombard residents is the York Township Highway Department on Roosevelt Road. However, there are many others that are part of the DuPage County Electronics Recycling Program:

• Addison Township Highway Department - (closed during winter - will reopen in spring) 2nd Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to noon at 411 W. Potter Rd., Wood Dale, (630) 766-2228

• Downers Grove Village Hall - 1st Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at 801 Burlington Ave., (630) 434-5500

• Glendale Heights Public Services Garage - (closed during winter - will reopen in spring) every Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 1645 Glen Ellyn Rd., (630) 260-6040

• Hanover Park Public Works Facility - weekdays Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 2121 Lake St., (630) 372-4440

• Lisle Public Works Storage Lot - 3rd Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at 4930 Lincoln Ave. (Route 53), (630) 271-4100

• Naperville Public Works & Recycling Drop-Off - every Tuesday & Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 180 Fort Hill Dr., (630) 420-6095

• Villa Park Village Hall Parking Lot - (closed during winter - will reopen in spring) 4th Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at 20 S. Ardmore Ave., (630) 834-8500

• Westmont Ty Warner Park (parking lot) - (closed during winter - will reopen in spring) 2nd Friday of each month from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 660 N. Blackhawk Dr., (630) 981-6200

• Wheaton Public Works Storage Lot - 2nd Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at 821 W. Liberty Dr. (west of Carlton across from Public Works garage), (630) 260-2000

• Wood Dale Public Works Utilities Office - 1st & 3rd Monday of each month from noon to 3 p.m. at 269 Irving Park Rd., (630) 787-3781

• York Township Highway Department – Monday through Friday 7 a.m. through 3:30 p.m., 19W475 Roosevelt Road in Lombard (entrance across from McDonald's)

The Chair of the Lombard's Environmental Concerns Committee, Trustee Laura Fitzpatrick, states that "The Village of Lombard, with direction from the Environmental Concerns Committee, is committed to the green initiatives that keep our community eco-friendly. This new law, effective January 1, 2012, supports the proper recycling methods for electronic waste. Lombard and its neighboring communities will be offering drop off sites on a regular basis, to make this recycling effort as convenient as possible for our residents."

The Village of Lombard is planning to again host its annual Recycling Extravaganza in September 2012 and will also host a monthly electronics recycling collection starting in April 2012. More information will be available in the Spring.