Township Gears Up for Recycling Day As It Embarks on a County-Wide Program

Matthew Hersh

The Princeton Environmental Commission will host its Recycling Drop-off Day this Saturday. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. residents can dispose of old computer equipment as an alternative to simply putting old equipment out with the trash.

The event will take place at the Community Park Pool parking lot, where residents can recycle computer monitors, printers, keyboards, VCRs, terminals, cables, fax machines, radios, modems, CRTs, telephones, television, CPUs, copiers, typewriters, and stereo equipment.

According to Princeton Township Mayor Phyllis Marchand, most computer parts that are disposed of through regular trash pickup end up in landfills. A typical computer monitor, she said, contains up to four pounds of lead which can pollute the soil and groundwater.

"This is an environmentally-safe, constituent-friendly program," Mayor Marchand said.

The Saturday event is for Township residents only. The Drop-off Day, however, has created the impetus for the Township to work with Mercer County to create a county-wide recycling program.

Beginning September 21, working with the Mercer County Improvement Authority, the Township will enact a full-time electronics recycling program. Residents can make an appointment to drop off electronics at the Public Works Garage at the intersection of Valley Road, Route 206, and Witherspoon Street by calling (609) 688-2566, ext. 478 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

"We're building on the success of the previous events," Mayor Marchand said. "At least this way, it's responsibly disposed of."

The September 21 kick-off date for the Mercer County program will take place at 10 a.m. at the Public Works garage and will feature presentations by West Windsor Township Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, and Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes.