Discarded Electronics Increase Substantially at Arlington's Biannual E-CARE

The biannual Arlington Environmental Collection and Recycling Event, or E-CARE, returned to Thomas Jefferson Middle School this weekend, drawing nearly 1,000 people despite the cold, wet weather, according to Arlington County Department of Environmental Services spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel.

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.

The county collected an estimated 15 tons of electronics, filling two tractor trailers — much more than what was collected at the same event in October.

The county also collected about 34.62 tons of household hazardous materials, a bit less than October's haul but a substantial amount nonetheless.