IBID, Panasonic and Covanta partner for E-Waste Recycling Event in the Ironbound
In celebration of Earth Day, on Thursday, April 20th, from 7:30 am to 2:00 pm, there was a collection of electronic equipment and accessories (e-waste) for recycling at Peter Francisco Park.
Several items were collected like computers, television sets, monitors, mouse, keyboards, CD/VCR/DVD players, printers, fax machines, MP3 players, cameras, cables, wires and others.
The initiative holds a partnership between the Ironbound Business Im-provement District (IBID-), Covanta, a world-wide recycling company and operator of the Essex County Resource Recove-ry Facility in Newark, MRM Recycling and Panasonic North Ameri-ca, in cooperation with the City of Newark, Councilor Michael Silva and the NGO “Urban Renewal Corporation, specializing in emergency housing and social services.
Vincent Baglivo, Executive Director of IBID said to Luso American newspaper:
“The air quality in the Ironbound is one of the worst air around. It has been proven many times.
We have incinerators, industrial factories, we have highways near by.
To be able to take away this electronic waste out of the way, meaning it is not going to get incinerated, and instead be disposed properly, it is a way for people to have a direct impact on the air people breathe. This is very important.
We (IBID) partnered with Panasonic and Covanta from many many years on this. This partnership has been very successful.
Residents and business owners are taking advantage on this, and doing the right thing.
We always associate this event with Earth Day, so it ties together very nicely, and its a way of people doing something for their own community.
We do this event once a year, and there will be additional collection days that Panasonic does in other parts of the city but this is the traditional kick-off.
Seniors, people with disabilities or for any other reason that cannot carry heavy equipments, can contact Councilman Michael Silva’s office and arrangements can be made to help in order for those electronics to be picked-up”.
Andrea Murphy, Pana-sonic’s Director of Envi-ronmental Affairs stated the importance of this indicative
“Around the globe and here in Newark, we are all experiencing the devastating effects of global climate change caused by increased carbon dioxide emissions. Electronics play a role especially with the technology advances resulting in turnover of personal electronics used.
Events like this not only supports local residents by providing a safe, local place to recycle their end-of-life products, but it also allows for reuse by the Urban Renewal Center and proper recycling. This is just one example of a Panasonic GREEN IMPACT initiative.”
