OSWEGO — Local electronics recycler Sunnking is preparing for record crowds during its first electronics recycling collection events since the COVID-19 shutdown.
New health and safety procedures will be in place to ensure a safe environment, including timed appointments, no-contact device removal, and dedicated drive-through lanes.
Sunnking collects an average of 100 tons of electronics per event. Hundreds of people have pre-registered for the initial round of free collection sites in central New York, officials said.
Residents can pre-register at Sunnking.com/events and find a full list of recyclable devices.
The event will be held in Oswego from 8:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 22 at the SUNY Oswego parking lot on Sheldon Avenue and West Seneca Street.
A second Syracuse-area event is scheduled for on Saturday, Dec. 5, at the NY State Fairgrounds (Gate 6) from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
“Looking at the number of sign-ups, people have clearly used the past couple of months at home to take inventory of their devices, and now want to get their space back,” said Robert Burns, director of marketing for Sunnking.
The event is being put on in partnership with Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow, and Novelis.
“So many people have old electronics just taking up space and this event is a great opportunity for people to clean up their garages or basements and recycle their outdated items. I am excited to help offer this drive-thru event and hope many people in the community will come out and take advantage of it,” said Minority Leader Barclay.
The company’s first event since the pandemic was on Aug. 1 in Batavia and saw nearly 1,000 sign-ups.
Sunnking, a 20-year-old certified recycler that has offered collections in western and central New York since 2010, temporarily postponed the events in March due to the pandemic. Sunnking collects an average of 100 tons of electronics per event.
“Obviously, we’ve had to change part of our process to ensure a safe environment for our customers and staff,” said Burns. “This includes a new preregistration process, so we know how many people to prepare for, and a contact-less experience where we ask drivers to stay in their vehicles and pack their devices in their trunks or truck beds.”
Due to the rising costs of recycling and the coronavirus pandemic, Sunnking is also asking supporters for an optional monetary donation to continue providing the environmentally responsible service.
Residents can pre-register for their respective events online at Sunnking.com/events or call (585) 637-8365.
The announcement comes during the same year as Sunnking celebrates its 20th-anniversary offering commercial clients throughout New York state electronics recycling, IT Asset Disposition, and data destruction services.
