Recycling electronic devices soon will be mandatory in Pa.

    A new ban on putting old electronics out with the rest of the trash goes into this month in Pennsylvania. 

    It used to be that electronics could be put out with the rest of the trash.

    Computers, TVs and things such as hard drives and keyboards could all be sent to the curb for regular waste pickup, says Jack Himes of the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center.

    “That has been allowable, not desirable, but allowable,” he said.

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    But not for long.

    Starting Jan. 24, those devices will have to be recycled.

    Himes says there are plenty of materials to mine from unwanted electronics, such as bits of copper, aluminum and gold.

    There’s no penalty on private citizens for failing to recycle old electronics – only on manufacturers who don’t set up free recycling programs.

    Certain stores will take old electronics and send them to recyclers.

    A list of counties that host drop-off events is on the state Department of Environmental Protection website.

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