'Massive' recycling event in Syracuse nets 100 tons of TVs and electronics, shuts down interstate ramp

By Tim Knauss on February 02, 2015 at 3:03 PM, updated February 02, 2015 at 3:33 PM

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Organizers of an electronics recycling event Saturday at the Syracuse DPW garage expected a big crowd, but they were shocked by how big it actually was. So many cars arrived loaded with old TVs, computers and other junk that Syracuse police were forced to close an exit ramp from Interstate 690 for four hours to prevent traffic from backing up on the highway.

Eight tractor-trailers were filled with estimated 100 tons of electronics during the event -- four times as much as was collected at a similar event in January 2014, said Cindy Jessop, of Sunnking Electronics Recycling, the company that recycles the items.

"It was massive,'' Jessop said.

Cars started lining up at the DPW garage two hours before the announced 10 a.m. start time, said Jessica DeCerce, chief of staff for state Sen. David Valesky, whose office organized the event. Volunteers opened the doors 45 minutes early to start unloading cars, she said.

By 11 a.m., the Midler Avenue exit ramp from I-690 eastbound was choked with vehicles and causing traffic to back up onto the highway, forcing police to close the exit, Sgt. Gary Bulinski said. The exit remained closed until 3 p.m., when the recycling event ended. People going to the DPW event had to approach Midler Avenue from Burnet Avenue or I-690 westbound.

Organizers said the huge turnout was probably driven by recent changes in state law that make it illegal to put old TVs out with the trash, and by advance publicity for the event. The event at Syracuse DPW in January 2014 did not cause traffic jams, DeCerce said.

Given the apparent demand for electronics recycling, Valesky's office, which normally sponsors two events per year, is considering adding a third this spring, DeCerce said. The Syracuse DPW garage offers the convenience of a covered facility during bad weather, but organizers will reassess whether to hold future events there because of the potential traffic issues when big crowds turn out, DeCerce said.

Some 50 volunteers from Valesky's office, Time Warner Cable, the Food Bank of Central New York and Sunnking worked at the event Saturday. Valesky was "a very tired-looking senator'' after unloading TVs and computers for six hours, DeCerce said.

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