Electronic recycling up big in the midstate

(Lancaster) — Household recycling has been common for decades. But electronic recycling is just now catching hold in the midstate.

Nearly 2.5 million pounds of laptops, tablets, cell phones and TVs were recycled in Lancaster County in 2014.

That’s more than twice 2009’s total.

In Berks County, electronic recycling in last year’s total topped 2010’s number by more than 600 percent.

Kathryn Sandoe with Lancaster County’s Solid Waste Management Authority says its effort to raise awareness is working.

“When I go around personally and present in front of different groups and work with different educational programs, I have just seen you ask, who knows about the household hazardous waste facility and hands go up,” says Sandoe.

“And that’s a concerted effort not just on our part as authority, but also working with the individual municipalities in Lancaster County. They’ve done a really great job as our partners as well to get that information out to their residents as well.”

Sandoe says more convenient hours and a 2010 state law that makes it illegal to throw out most electronic waste have also pushed the numbers up.

She says Lancaster County’s facility tallied more than 72,000 visits in 2014.

However, only people who live in Lancaster County can use it.