"Education & Government eWaste Disposal Days 2008," a free electronic waste recycling drive offering Earth-friendly disposal of computers and other electronic equipment for Hawai'i residents, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at various University of Hawai'i campuses throughout the state.

Residents can visit www.hawaii.edu/ewaste for event details including information on items accepted and alternatives to disposal, such as donation of unwanted equipment for re-use by others. Information on recycling events for public and private schools and universities, all city, county, state or federal/military branches in Hawai'i, small- to medium-size businesses with less than 100 employees and nonprofits can be found at www.hawaii.edu/ewaste.

Maps of the drop-off sites are on the event webpage at www.hawaii.edu/ewaste.

Computers, cell phones, televisions and other electronics can contain arsenic, chromium, cadmium. mercury, beryllium, lead, nickel, or zinc. Proper recycling of electronics helps prevent these toxic materials from being released into our soil, groundwater and air.

According to the most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates, discarded electronics totaled about 2 million tons, according to a news release from ewaste event organizers. it's estimated that only about 15 percent to 20 percent of this was recycled.

Education & Government eWaste Disposal Days 2008 provides an opportunity for safe and environmentally friendly disposal of eWaste regardless of the manufacturer, free of charge. All equipment collected will be processed in North America in an environmentally responsible way and recycled into commodity grade materials such as metals, plastics and glass. Recycling and

Disposal services are provided courtesy of Apple.