Updated 01/04/2009 03:22 PM
Group Holds Recycling Event For Electronics
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
For those of you lucky enough to get a computer or other electronics this holiday season, one environmental group wants to get the word out about getting rid of old gadgets in an environmentally friendly way.
On Sunday, the Lower East Side Ecology Center collected electronics ranging from computers to cell phones in Union Square.
Last year, the group recycled 150 tons of electronics.
Organizers said if these items are tossed in with the regular garbage, they can release dangerous chemicals into the air and water.
"A lot of our electronic's waste, most of it has heavy metals that end up in landfills. If we throw it out in our regular trash and then end up polluting water or the air with heavy metals of all sorts and that can be bad for respiratory systems and obviously people don't want to deal with that in their air or water," said Tara Deporte, Lower East Side Ecology Center.
Under a city law that takes effect in July, manufacturers will be required to take back old electronics.
In July 2010 it will also become illegal to dump them out in the regular garbage.