host posted on April 18, 2011 11:37
Fort Worth, TX (April 18, 2011) – On April 16, Universal Recycling Technologies, LLC (URT) collected over 26,000 pounds of electronics waste (e-waste) in San Marcos, TX as part of a recycling event sponsored by Texas State University (TSU) and its hazardous waste provider, PSC Environmental Services (PSC). This was the third and most successful Earth Week collection event for TSU, bringing in 6,000 more pounds than last year’s event and attracting Texas residents from as far as Cibolo to Georgetown.
TSU and PSC chose Universal Recycling Technologies as a national partner for the event in part because of its commitment to ethical recycling. It is critical to select a recycler who tightly controls the process, never shipping materials offshore to third-world countries that lack appropriate recycling regulations. URT is an e-Stewards qualified recycler (www.e-Stewards.org), adhering to the strictest standards in the industry today. E-Stewards companies and manufacturers are thoroughly vetted, to ensure all recycling processes are ethical and sustainable.
More than 40 volunteers, 18 TSU departments, six private industries and the City of San Marcos collaborated on the event, working closely with URT staff members to collect the materials. URT transported the e-waste to one of its nationwide processing locations in Forth Worth, Texas, where the electronics were “de-manufactured” (or taken apart) to component level and the components processed back into raw materials for use in new products.
Many states already ban the disposal of e-waste in municipal landfills due to the harmful heavy metals these items contain, including lead, cadmium, chromium and mercury. Texas does not yet have these regulations in place, so events like this one offer the community a safe alternative. Most of the materials in e-waste (plastic, glass, metals, and precious metals) are highly recyclable and have value if handled properly.
URT is also one of the few companies in the nation with proven clean glass-to-glass processing capabilities, which supports sustainable recycling of hard-to-recycle items like cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and televisions. Using equipment URT developed, the company is able to recycle obsolete monitors and televisions into new cathode ray tube glass. Glass is sorted by type and chemistry, and turned into a reusable commodity, with no exposure to the environment. This is the preferred management method of state and federal regulatory agencies.
URT applauds the commitment of Texas State University and the City of San Marcos to offer valuable recycling options that lead to a more sustainable community.
URT is a recognized industry leader with seven processing facilities across the United States. URT provides end-of-life recycling (de-manufacturing), asset recovery services (ARS), universal waste recycling, and commodities and logistics management services to major market segments including original equipment manufacturers (OEM), retailers, municipalities, and Fortune 500 organizations. Since 2007, the company has been privately owned by Hendricks Holding Company, Inc. (www.hendricksholding.com). To learn more about Universal Recycling Technologies, LLC, please visit www.universalrecyclers.com.