Goodwill® Offers Recycling Opportunities and Education in Honor of Earth Day

For Immediate Release
April 20 , 2015

Goodwill offers recycling opportunities and education in honor of Earth Day
Nonprofit encourages community to safely and responsibly donate electronics

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (April 20 , 2015) – Earth Day may fall on April 22 this year, but Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont is celebrating early by encouraging local residents to donate unwanted electronics year – round . Through the organization’s partnership with Dell Reconnect, Goodwill is able to de-manufacture and refurbish or recycle electronics responsibly, preventing hazardous materials from reaching local landfills. Last year, Goodwill’s recycling program helped to divert 2.4 million pounds of electronics and other products from area landfills.

“More than 700 chemicals are used to manufacture computers, including lead and mercury,” said Patrick Darrow, Director of Environmental Enterprises for Goodwill. “When electronics like computers or cell phones end up in landfills, it’s not only harmful to the environment, but it can be a community health hazard as well.”

Electronics can be donated anytime at any of Goodwill’s more than 50 donation sites throughout the Southern Piedmont region. In addition, Goodwill representatives will be on hand at the following community Earth Day events to accept donations and educate about recycling electronics:

Saturday, April 18 – Town of Matthews Earth Day Celebration
- 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Stumptown Park: 120 S. Trade Street , Matthews, NC 28105
Wednesday , April 22 (Earth Day) – Piedmont Natural Gas Annual Recycling Day
- 10 a.m . – 2 p.m.
- 4720 Piedmont Row Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210
- Earth Week

Trained Goodwill technicians test donated electronics . Unusable electronics are de-manufactured and recycled in an environmentally friendly manner by Dell audited vendors. Hard drives are crushed to destroy sensitive information. Donated electronics are often sold at Goodwill’s new electronics store , The GRID: Powered by Goodwill, at 9605 North Tryon Street.

Donated computers that are not suitable for sale at The GRID are de-manufactured by individuals in Goodwill’s employment and training programs , who earn while they learn new skills and appropriate work behaviors.

Goodwill’s recycling program not only helps the environment, but also supports the community by helping fund Goodwill’s job training and employment services . To learn more about the process and benefits of donating your electronics to Goodwill, please visit www.goodwillsp.org/donate , or call (704)372-3434.

About Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont

Goodwill has been serving individuals and families in the Southern Piedmont re gion of North and South Carolina for 50 years. Goodwill operates 22 retail stores and has more than 50 donation sites in the region. Proceeds from the sale of donated goods fund job training and employment services for individuals facing barriers to employment such as lack of skills, experience or education. In 2014, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont provided employment services to more than 13,000 individuals. For more information, visit www.goodwillsp.org.