Andersen, Recycling Committee to host Earth Day event
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Northborough - A collaborative effort between Renewal by Andersen, a window-replacement company located at 104 Otis St., and the town's Recycling Committee has resulted in Northborough hosting an Earth Day event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday April 19 at Renewal by Andersen's Otis Street location.

"We're very excited about being able to be a part of Earth Day," said Betty Tetreault, chair of the Northborough Recycling Committee. "Anything we can do, any effort we can make to help the town be, and think about being, more green excites us."

Folks attending Earth Day will be able to do and see a wide variety of things. For starters, there will be informational handouts about the need for towns to be more environmentally friendly and recycling conscious, and flower seeds will be handed out free of charge.

In addition, residents are urged to bring any mercury thermometers they have around the house and exchange them for digital thermometers, compliments of Wheelabrator Technologies.

Also being accepted that day as part of the town's Mercury Separation Program are mercury-based thermostats and any other mercury-bearing items that may be located around the house. Most devices with what is called a "float switch" contains mercury.

Any used nickel, cadmium, lithium or ion button batteries, which should not be thrown out in the regular kitchen trash, will also be accepted, as will rechargeable batteries used in items such as cellular telephones, laptop computers, rechargeable flashlights and cordless drills.

A clothing bin, compliments of the Salvation Army, will be on site, as well as a roll-away dumpster, which will be used for collecting metal or appliances any Earth Day attendees want to take to the Otis Street location. The dumpster is being provided, free of charge, by Frankenstein's Recycling of Worcester.

Also at Earth Day, a compost bin - which can be purchased through the town - will be on display so anyone interested in purchasing one can see its dimensions and how much space will be needed to erect one in the backyard.

There will also be a rain barrel display at Earth Day and those interesting in purchasing one will be able to do so directly through the New England Rain Barrel Company, which will be on hand at the event.

Tetreault also announced at the Recycling Committee's April 3 meeting that an old town favorite - Junque Day - has been reincarnated and returns after a one-year hiatus, as Take-It or Leave-It Day.

The Recycling Committee is still ironing out what day to hold the event but, like Earth Day, it will be held at Renewal By Andersen's facility.

In conjunction with Take- It or Leave-It Day, the town is sponsoring a free household electronics recycling event at the same site.

Items that can be dropped off include computers, monitors, televisions, LCD panels, printers, other computer related equipment, stereos, telephones (cellular and non-cellular), power supplies, electronic games, VCRs, circuit boards and other household electronics. Items that will not be accepted are air conditioners, dehumidifiers, microwaves, and appliances such as washers, dryers, stoves and refrigerators.