In our last newscast for 2017, we take a look back at the Year of the Rooster, according to the Vietnamese calendar. In 2017, the City of Kentwood marked its 50th anniversary with a variety of special events that included a weekend-long celebration in August. Mayor Stephen Kepley was re-elected to a second term as the city’s mayor and newcomers Emily Bridson and Tom McKelvey joined the Kentwood City Commission.
There also was a host of activities in the city of Wyoming as well from its second annual Clean Up Day to the Metro Cruise. Both cities also approved The Rapid millage continuing busing within the cities.
During last spring’s highly successful City of Wyoming’s Clean-Up Day, organizers noticed a need that was not being addressed – what to do with old televisions, computers, printers, VCRs and other electronics.
“After the clean-up day event we began to look around to see what options were available to dispose of electronics,” said Nancy Stoddard who works in the City of Wyoming’s treasurer’s office and is chair of the Looks Good Committee which organized the April clean-up event.
During that process, Advanced Technology Recycling (ATR) approached the city about partnering to host an electronics recycling event.
“ATR has a grant for such programs and wanted to see if the city was interested in hosting such an event,” Stoddard said.
My Personal Credit Union also had talked to the city about hosting a paper shredding event, something the credit union has done for its members in the past. The city pulled the two programs together under the Electronics Recycling/Shredding Event which will be Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW.
ATR will be handling electronics. Shred-It will be on-hand to help with papers and personal documents and the Kent County Hazardous Waste will be at the site to collect medical mercury devices and exchange mercury thermometers for digital ones.
“Sometimes it is hard to know how to properly dispose of old electronics and personal papers that might contain sensitive information,” Stoddard said. “Partnering with ATR and Shred-It allows us to offer a safe and convenient option for disposal that is also environmentally friendly.”
Not all items will be accepted such as microwaves and small appliances, refrigerators or any unit containing Freon, dishwashers, washers and dryers, stoves, household batteries, light bulbs, furniture, lab or hospital equipment and biohazards. For a complete list of what will be accepted and what will not, click here.
To participate in the Electronics Recycling/Shredding Event, you must have a proof of Wyoming residency identification with you at the drop-off site and you must be in line by 11:45 a.m.
For more information about the Electronics Recycling/Shredding Event, call the city at 530-7284 or 530-7226 or visit www.wyomingmi.gov.