Abt Electronics unveils a large onsite recycling center

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Abt Electronics, the largest independently-owned, single-location retailer of electronics, appliances, and home goods in the country, unveils a larger recycling center, becoming more efficient in its waste management and expanding its commitment to sustainability.

The new recycling center is nearly three times larger than its first onsite 12,000 square-foot recycling center in 2008. It features state-of-the-art equipment including, a GreenMax machine for recycling Styrofoam. The machine melts Styrofoam into raw materials used for picture frames, home construction materials, and more. The center also has an Auger Compactor, a heavy-duty machine designed for compacting large volumes of waste materials.

Mike Abt, Co-President, Abt Electronics, said: “This was a significant but important investment for the company. We are committed to expanding our green program as the company continues to grow. One of our core values has always been to create a more sustainable world for future generations.”

Abt Electronics recycles 95% of its own waste — including cardboard, plastic, wood pallets, and packing materials in which merchandise is shipped in. Every year, Abt’s recycling efforts save 2.2 million pounds of cardboard and paper going to the local dump, over 350,000 pounds of Styrofoam, over 13 million pounds of appliances, and 1.4 million pounds of electronics from going to landfills.

Additionally, Abt also accepts broken or unwanted electronics and appliances from their customers and the public. There is no fee to drop off unwanted items, no matter their size. The only exception is TVs, as they contain hazardous chemicals and must be recycled. Abt charges a nominal fee for TVs to send them to a third-party facility that follows EPA standards in e-waste recycling. The picture tubes from the TV sets get recycled into kitchen backsplash tiles.

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