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The Kansas City Star, Mo., David Hayes Column: For That Old Electronic Gear, Take It to These Recycling Events

Posted on: Tuesday, 11 April 2006, 06:00 CDT

By David Hayes, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Apr. 11--I get more calls and e-mails about recycling high-tech gear than on anything else.

Just about every piece of tech gear we own -- and eventually dispose of when it becomes outdated or quits working -- has ounces or pounds of lead, mercury and other potentially toxic minerals.

Dumping gear in a landfill -- many of us have put TVs and computer gear out with the trash -- means those toxins can find their way into the water supply.

The largest electronics recycler in Kansas City, the Surplus Exchange, is working with two cities to make the process easier.

Lee's Summit and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources will hold an electronics recycling day April 22 on Earth Day. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the L ee's Summit High School.

A week later, on April 29, Kansas City, the natural resources department and Bridging the Gap are planning a recycling event at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. It will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 48th Street and Forest Avenue.

Recycling computers, cell phones, pagers and the like is free. For the Lee's Summit event, stereos and VCRs can be recycled for a $5 fee, computer monitors cost $15, and TVs cost between $15 and $30. Recycling fees for the Kansas City event haven't been determined.

Technicians at the Surplus Exchange recycle the toxic waste. Useable equipment is repaired and donated or sold to nonprofit groups.

The Surplus Exchange, located online at www.surplusexchange.org , recycled 655 tons of electronic gear in 2005. For more on the nonprofit, see today's Best Practices feature on Page D-21.

Local tech scene

-- Handmark, a Kansas City company that designs and markets software for wireless phones and PDAs, unveiled a new version of its Pocket Express software for smart phones.

The latest version offers a variety of new services, including phone versions of Dear Abby, NASCAR news and financial columnist Scott Burns.

-- QuVIS, a Topeka company that develops technology for the digital movie industry, showed off a new Digital Cinema Server at a film festival in Norway.

The new server stores digital movies in both the standard 2K format and a new 4K format that doubles resolution and improves viewing in both 3D and on large theater screens.

QuVIS is working on a test project in Norway as that country looks to upgrade its movie theater technology.

-- Uclick of Kansas City cut a deal to provide Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles content to mobile phones.

The division of Andrews McMeel Universal will offer wallpapers, screensavers, games, videos and mobile comic books.

Last month, Uclick teamed up with Japanese manga publisher Tokyopop Inc. and began offering six manga titles on mobile phones.

Happy Hour

If you're in the tech business in Kansas City, you know there aren't many events that draw the community together.

One of the few, the Entrepreneurs Happy Hour, is having its April networking and get-to-know-you event on April 20. The sessions are aimed at those in the technology and life sciences industries.

The free session -- well, drinks aren't free -- is scheduled for the Granfalloon Bar & Grill at 608 Ward Parkway in Kansas City. The event begins at 5 p.m.

Reserve a spot by sending an e-mail to network@kcsourcelink.com. More information is available online at www.kcsourcelink.com .

New computer store

Dell opened its second local store on Monday.

The Dell Direct kiosk store at Oak Park Mall was completed over the weekend. The kiosk gives potential Dell customers a chance to see and try out Dell products before they buy.

The bedroom-size kiosk includes high-definition plasma and LCD TVs, desktop and notebook computers and accessories. Customers order through representatives at the kiosk or by phone or computer at home.

Dell operates a similar kiosk store at Independence Center and has more than 140 of the kiosks at malls around the country.

Bits & Bytes appears on Tuesdays. To reach David Hayes, senior technology writer, call (816) 234-4904 or send e-mail to dhayes@kcstar.com .

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

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Source: The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri)

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