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Federal/DC Government and Host of Partners Team Up for America Recycles Day Encourage Employees and Residents to Recycle Electronics Presidential Proclamation Declares Friday America Recycles Day

Release Date: 11/15/2002
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(11/15/2002) In celebration of America Recycles Day, the federal government, along with DC Government and a number of non-government and corporate partners are encouraging recycling today and tomorrow. Also today, a ceremony was being held near the Washington Monument to celebrate America Recycles Day with representatives from the Bush Administration including Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton. Also attending were Mayor Anthony Williams and representatives from America Recycles Day and partners including UNICOR, Dell, the National Recycling Coalition, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc., Technology Policy Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), Intel, and the Electronic Industries Alliance. During the ceremony a proclamation issued today by President George W. Bush declaring November 15th “America Recycles Day,” was presented to Mayor Williams by Secretary Norton.

In the proclamation, President Bush said, “On America Recycles Day, I encourage all Americans to rededicate themselves to using our resources more wisely by reusing and recycling the materials they purchase. Through these efforts, we help make our communities more livable, our businesses more competitive, and our Nation a healthier place for future generations to enjoy.”

"America Recycles Day...A Capital Idea!", the first joint Federal Government and DC Government electronic recycling collection event, is open to all federal and DC government employees and DC residents. The two-day event on the historic Washington DC Mall, in front of the Washington Monument, is giving federal and district government employees and all residents of DC the opportunity to bring their old computers and components out of storage and recycle them. Used, broken, or outdated electronics are also being accepted. The following items are being accepted: Computer Equipment, Cell Phones, TVs (19" or less), VCRs, Circuit Boards, Fax Machines, Printers, Pagers, Mainframes, Camcorders, Modems, Monitors, Test Equipment, Memory Hard Drives, Floppy Drives, Scrap Copper, CD ROM Drives, Motherboards ,Tape Drives, Copy machines, Power Supplies Connectors/Cords/Wire Network/Video/Sound Cards, Scrap Computer Plastic & Metal Audio Visual Equipment

The following items are not being accepted: Console/cabinet televisions and televisions larger than 19" White goods (air conditioners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, vacuum cleaners, microwaves & toasters)

UNICOR, a government corporation, will recycle items and provide tax donation forms to
participants. Cell phones that are donated will be accepted by The Wireless Foundation. The Wireless Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established by the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA) in 1993. The Donate a Phone program collects wireless phones, that are no longer being used by consumers, to help support local charities nationwide. The Foundation oversees a number of programs designed to put wireless technology to work addressing the challenges of society.

Major partners for today’s event include Dell, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Interior (DOI), DOI's National Park Service, District of Columbia, UNICOR (Department of Justice's Federal Prison Industries, Inc.), AT&T, Department of Interior's National Business Center, Canon, Electronic Industries Alliance, Intel, Consumer Electronics Association, Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Philips, National Recycling Coalition, Inc., Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.

Additional support was provided by Social Security Administration (in Baltimore), PEPCO (in DC), Department of Health and Human Services (in Rockville), Department of Energy (in DC), and USDA's Forest Service.

Recycling makes a real contribution to such environmental goals as saving natural resources and reducing the need for more landfills. But there are additional, compelling incentives to recycle, beyond those widely understood. For example, recycling creates jobs and helps the economy in a number of ways. A recent study commissioned by EPA indicates that the recycling and reuse industry consists of approximately 56,000 establishments that employ over 1.1 million people. These businesses generate an annual payroll of nearly $37 billion, and gross over $236 billion in annual revenues.

America Recycles Day, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which sponsors the annual ARD campaign. America Recycles Day, Inc. is sponsored by 100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance, Environmental Defense (formerly Environmental Defense Fund), Ford Motor Company, The Home Depot, National Recycling Coalition, National Soft Drink Association, Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, Recycling Coalition of Texas, Solid Waste Association of North America, Staples, U.S. Conference of Mayors, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Waste Management. For more information on America Recycles Day, Inc. visit www.americarecyclesday.org. Also visit www.epa.gov . A copy of the President’s Proclamation is available at www.whitehouse.gov .

Quotes From Some of Today’s Speakers

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton

“This recycling effort is an excellent example of a public-private partnership to provide safe disposal of unusable and obsolete electronics equipment and protect the environment. Today and again tomorrow, the public and private members of this practical partnership will be here gathering unusable electronics, not for disposal and waste, but for reuse and recycling into new electronics. This event is for Federal employees today and the community tomorrow.”

Mayor Anthony Williams
"In the District, we are working to make recycling easier for our employees
and for our citizens. Recycling is an essential element of our city's comprehensive solid waste management program, and it should be part of our everyday lives. For this reason, the District joins in the celebration of 'America Recycles Day' as an excellent opportunity to promote and advance our city's recycling agenda and to help spread the word that DC recycles."

John Howard, Federal Environmental Executive and Chair of White House Task Force on Waste Prevention
"I am pleased to join many others across the country in America Recycles Day 2002. As President Bush stated earlier this year, ‘Good stewardship begins with the simplest of things...What may appear to be a small act is really important: cleaning up a park, or recycling, or encouraging people and showing people how to conserve energy.’ Now in its sixth year, America Recycles Day helps remind all Americans of our nation's bountiful resources and of our personal responsibility as stewards to care for those resources. Where we cannot prevent waste or reduce it, we can and should find ways to recycle. And when we go to the store, we can and should seek environmentally preferable products, including those with recycled content. What to do with our electronics at the end of their life is an important issue we're facing today in the United States and around the world. Today's events and the participants show that many are ready and willing to meet this challenge. By working together in communities across the country, like we are in our nation's capital today, we can make sure these products are increasingly handled as valuable resources and not waste."

Don K. Brown, Director of Environmental Affairs, Dell

“Dell is honored to partner with the leaders of our nation and the District of Columbia in demonstrating our commitment to environmental stewardship. Today is an excellent example of how to easily and responsibly recycle technology -- a philosophy that Dell also shares. At Dell, we believe the principles of environmentalism -efficiency eliminates waste -- align with the principles of our direct model - efficiency delivers customer value. Dell is committed to making it easy for businesses and individuals to complete the life cycles of computers in a responsible and sustainable manner. ”

Heather Bowman, Director of Environmental Policy at the Electronic Industries Alliance

“The electronics industry strongly believes proper recycling is the best environmental option for end-of-life electronics. Events like today’s ‘America Recycles Day…A Capital Idea’ help us educate consumers about electronics recycling and the options available to them. Consumer involvement is critical to the success of electronics recycling, and we are very happy to participate in this important event."