Waste Management

[cook-ting.livejournal.com]

I happen to have a great big pile of old circuit boards in my basement. I'd like to give them the toss, but they're toxic waste and I don't want them sitting in the landfill poisoning the water table. So, Davis Delinquents, how do I get rid of them? Who do I call?

I have no car and the sheer mass makes moving them anyplace but the curb a little senseless.

Comments

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

The official way of getting rid of hazardous waste is to bring it to one of the household hazardous waste days, which are once a month (but not in the winter).

As far as I know the city of Somerville doesn't consider circuit boards hazardous waste (they're certainly not on their list of stuff that they instruct you to bring to the household hazardous waste days).

Were I in your shoes I would buy the services of the following company, they'll ship you a box and then you can ship it away again:

http://www.greendisk.com/gdsite/pack-itservices.aspx

Good luck!

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

http://www.greendisk.com/gdsite/technotrash.aspx

This one might be more applicable, depending on the quantity of stuff.

[ron_newman]

I have a related question: what should I do with one of those new-fangled fluorescent bulbs that broke while I was installing it? These things contain mercury so I don't want to throw it out.

Crazy Vapor

[chumbolly.livejournal.com]

I believe the mercury in fluorescent lamps is in vapor form, so if you broke the glass, it escaped and you're doomed. Probably be mad as a hatter by the end of the week.

Here's a link for more useful info: http://www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/hazardous/fluores.htm

Re: Crazy Vapor

[sarah-raz.livejournal.com]

hee.

[turil.livejournal.com]

"one of those new-fangled fluorescent bulbs that broke while I was installing it?"

Ron... What were you doing to that poor light bulb? And what exactly were you trying to install it in... :-)

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

Burnt out fluorescent bulbs should be brought to the hazardous waste drop off days. I dunno about broken ones.

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

what are the circuit boards from? Got any stepper motors or other salvageable elec. junk?

[ron_newman]

Is this the kind of stuff people would want to buy at the MIT Flea Market?