Covanta and partners collect nearly four tons of e-scrap at event

Covanta, a sustainable waste and energy solutions provider based in Morristown, New Jersey, announced it recently participated in the fifth annual electronic scrap (e-scrap) collection event in the Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey, collecting approximately 7,700 pounds of material, including 6,281 pounds of old television sets. The annual collection is held in Ironbound's Peter Francisco Park in celebration of Earth Day and is a collaborative effort that also includes Panasonic, Newark, the city of Newark, the Ironbound Business Improvement District (IBID), Newark, and Urban Renewal Corp., Kearny, New Jersey

"We are proud to be a part of this important community effort for the fifth year in a row," Brie Parker, sustainable solutions representative at Covanta, says. "Together with the partners of this great event, we are making significant strides in encouraging residents to properly recycle their electronics while also cleaning up the community and discouraging illegal dumping. This year was yet another success and we look forward to next year."

Items collected at the event included computers, CD, VCR and DVD players, fax and copy machines, cameras and more. The proper disposal of these items allows them to be recycled or potentially reused. Moreover, allowing e-scrap to be disposed of in residential trash or in the street can have an adverse effect on the environment. Most electronics contain components that can be hazardous to communities if they end up in the waste stream. Covanta safely processes e-scrap at its electronic waste recycling facility in southwest Philadelphia. In combination with other e-scrap collection events in Newark, Covanta has recycled nearly 103,000 pounds of e-scrap from residents.

Covanta operates the Essex County Resource Recovery Facility in Newark that processes 2,800 tons per day of municipal solid waste, generating approximately 65 megawatts of electricity that powers local homes and businesses. The facility also recovers ferrous and nonferrous metals for recycling.