Protect Your Identity, Protect the Environment

By Audrey Esther, News9.com

From old newspapers to old documents we all have extra stuff lying around the house that's recyclable and that we'd like to get rid of. This weekend you can get rid of the clutter, help the environment and help our state's economy.

On November 15^th all citizens are encouraged to close the loop on America Recycles Day, which is a nationwide event that aims to raise awareness about recycling.

"Recycling is something we can do at home, at work, at school anywhere we find ourselves because anywhere we are we make garbage," said Fenton Rood director of waste systems planning for the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

Waste Management Recycling Center is Oklahoma's largest recycling center. On Saturday they're giving you the chance to protect your identity and protect the environment by shredding your old documents.

"I know it's something that residents are really needing, so they don't fall victim to identity theft and this is one way to prevent it," said Heather Shmuki, spokeswoman for Waste Management Recycling Center.

From old bank statements to receipts bring them in  from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Waste Management will shred them for free.  But Rood said just as important as safely shredding old documents is buying products made from recycled material, which helps our state's economy.

"When we do that we create the economic demand and the nature of our economy is if there's a market we're going to figure out how to encourage you and I to separate and provide the supply for that market," he said.

In fact, more than 5,000 Oklahomans work in the recycling industry.

Something you might want to recycle soon is your old television. The Waste Management Recycling Center is one of the only places in the metro that will recycle electronics.  If your television is a Sony, the center will recycle it and other Sony electronics for free.

However, the center will not except any electronics this Saturday, but you can bring them in on weekdays and for a fee. Shmuki suggests calling ahead for an estimate.

"One TV contains seven pounds of lead so we don't want that in our landfills," she said.

Or any other recyclable material.

"The garbage mountain we build today will be around for our grand children's grandchildren to worry about," Rood said.