Broadway Green Alliance Holds E-Waste Collection Today in Father Duffy Square

The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA) announces that the next E-Waste Collection Event will take place today, July 17th in Father Duffy Square (46th & Broadway) from 11:00am to 1:00pm.

Consumers are urged to bring unwanted laptops, notebooks, computer accessories, home phones, VCRs, DVDs, PDAs and almost anything with a plug to the E-Waste Collection Event next Wednesday in Times Square. Most donations are free.

This summer, the BGA partners again with the e-Steward certified company WeRecycle! to responsibly dispose of the e-waste from Broadway theatres and offices. WeRecycle! has been helping the BGA for many years. For this upcoming collection, they will begin charging a slight fee to dispose of larger electronics. Since the BGA is able to subsidize most of the costs, the prices are at a low and favorable rate. Therefore, BGA will only be charging $10 for printers, flat screen TVs and monitors and $20 for computer monitors and TVs using CRTs (cathode ray tubes are found inside the deep, older TVs and computer monitors).

Unfortunately, the BGA is unable to accept light bulbs, VHS tapes, air conditioners and household appliances. The BGA also cannot accept batteries, but will direct people to a separate battery collection to keep ensuring e-waste is kept out of landfills.

This year the BGA is also participating in the Broadway Alzheimers iPod Drive (July 1st through August 19th) by collecting iPods for the Alzheimers Association. Inspired by the documentary, Alive Inside, that follows the work of Dan Cohen and Music And Memory, Broadway musician Dave Roth (Evita) is asking for donations of music players to help those who suffer from Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia through the gift of music. Donations of a used iPod, charger, or any Apple listening device will enrich the lives of many that have this terrible disease. Dave Roth will be at the BGA table in Duffy Square on Wednesday collecting for this important cause, or iPods can be dropped off at the AFM Local 802 at 322 West 48th Street. Cell phones are also accepted and will be donated to Verizon's Hopeline program which supports domestic violence prevention and awareness programs.

The BGA is also giving unused electronics a new life by offering still-working items for re-use by others for a $5 to $10 donation. For this reason, we ask that all information is wiped from devices before they are dropped off.

"The Broadway Green Alliance is excited to have another e-waste collection event in Duffy Square. At each collection, the Broadway community consistently shows how invested it is to keep e-waste out of landfills," said Susan Sampliner co-chair of the BGA. "We are also glad to partner with WeRecycle! again. Their support has given us the ability to keep Broadway green!"

E-waste, or electronic waste, refers to old electronic devices that are no longer wanted. These products contain dangerous toxins like lead and mercury that should not be thrown in with the rest of the trash, but should be reused or recycled instead. Although they are a small portion of the waste stream by volume, computers and electronics constitute the fastest growing component of the municipal waste stream and contribute at least 40% of the toxicity found in landfills.

Those planning to drop off more than one hamper full of equipment should contact green@broadway.org no later than Tuesday, July 16th.