Portage County commissioners on Nov. 14 opted to continue their contract with GreenBoard IT, which collects discarded electronic devices at the county recycling center.
Electronics and appliances
People are invited to drop off cellphones, stereos, VCR and DVD players, routers, PCs, laptops, phones, scanners, LCD monitors, keyboards, paper shredders, UPSs, hard drives, servers, networking equipment, MP3 players, cameras, game consoles and accessories, as well as unused printer cartridges and toner.
Batteries do not need to be removed from the electronic devices, and a hard drive shredder is available for people concerned about sensitive information, Recycling Director Dawn Collins said.
There is a $20 fee for televisions and CRT monitors and a $10 fee for printers, payable by cash or check to GreenBoard IT.
The recycling center is also accepting large appliances, including portable/window AC units, cooktops, microwaves, dishwashers, ranges and stoves, wall ovens, washers and dryers, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, freezers and ice makers.
Freon does not need to be removed prior to drop off.
All items will be accepted at the recycling plant’s CHaRM (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials), located at 3588 Mogadore Rd. in Brimfield Township. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the first Monday of each month (excluding federal holidays).
Portage County residents are welcome even if the community they reside in does not have a contract with the recycling center, Collins said. After entering the plant’s entrance, proceed toward the railroad tracks and drive through the gate. Staff will be on hand to help residents unload heavy items.
Holiday debris
As the Halloween and Thanksgiving season passes, Collins said the people may drop off organic decorations at the recycling center’s compost container, located just outside the west side of the building. Acceptable items are pumpkins, gourds, mums, straw and corn stalks. The compost container is open to the public 24/7.
People may also drop off Christmas trees (with decorations and lights removed) from the end of December through January 2025. Proceed to the yard waste containers near the scrap metal bin.
Wrapping paper is a bit more complicated. Collins said people can place wrapping paper in their curbside containers as long as the paper can be crushed or balled up. Glitter and metallic paper will not be accepted, and tissue paper is also off limits for recycling.
As long as they are not shiny or glittery, paper gift bags can also be placed in curbside containers. The same goes for greeting cards, with the added caveat that the cards cannot include sound-making devices.
All acceptable Christmas detritus can also be dropped off at the recycling center’s single-stream bin, which is open 24/7.
Tires
People who have old tires from passenger cars may also turn to the county recycling center. Tires will be accepted during CHaRM center hours. There is a limit of 10 tires per household, and a fee of 50 cents per tire. Collins noted that it is illegal to haul more than 10 tires at a time.
Larger tires, including those from off-road vehicles, tractors, combine, loaders, skid steers, wagons, implements, semi-trucks and trailers, will also be accepted. The cost is $1 per tire up to 30 inches in height, $5 for 37-inch to 60-inch tires and $10 for larger tires. To determine the tire’s height, measure it from the ground to the top of the tire.
The recycling center’s CHaRM facility also offers a paper shredding service. All paper clips, binder clips, rubber bands and manila folders must be removed, as does any type of binding material. Staples do not need to be removed.
Manila folders must be placed in the single stream container.
Election signs, batteries and scrap metal
Collins cautions county residents not to put election signs in their curbside containers. Instead, bring them to the county recycling center during CHaRM hours. The signs may be made of paper, plastic or coroplast. Metal sign stands are also being accepted, though they must be separated from the signs.
Also not welcome in curbside containers are batteries of any kind. Instead, bring them to the recycling center during CHaRM hours. Most home-use and car batteries will be accepted. The batteries do not need to be taped.
The recycling center also accepts scrap ferrous and non-ferrous metals, including wires, pipes, motors and other pieces and parts. These items are accepted 24/7 at the recycling center. There is a bin to the left side of the gate leading to the CHaRM center.
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.