Arlington Sees Increased Interest in Electronics Recycling Program

Arlington County is billing its Environmental Collection and Recycling Event, or E-CARE, held over the weekend as a success.

E-CARE allows county residents to dispose of hazardous materials like paint, solvents, garden chemicals and items containing mercury, and to recycle electronics, bikes, small metal items, shoes, eyeglasses and certain medical equipment.

On Saturday, 1,341 people turned out for E-CARE at Thomas Jefferson Middle School on South Old Glebe Road.

The county collected enough electronics to fill two tractor-trailers, an estimated 20 tons. County environmental spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel called that a "marked increase" over the 16 tons collected at a similar event in the fall.

The county also collected about 35.5 tons of hazardous household materials, according to McDaniel.