NORMAN and SHAWNEE, Okla., July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- As part of the Keep America Beautiful and Keep Oklahoma Beautiful programs, Waste Management Recycle America, a subsidiary of Waste Management (WM), and LG ElectronicsUSA (LG) are hosting two free eCycling events in the state of Oklahoma. These events offer residents an opportunity to give life to their old residential electronic equipment in an environmentally sound manner that is free, convenient and secure. During this one-day, two-city event on July 30, sponsored by LG and WM, there will be two designated eCycling drop-off sites across the state, in Norman and Shawnee, where citizens can easily dispose of and recycle their household electronic devices from 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. in Norman and 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. in Shawnee.

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Electronics are recyclable and valuable, and there are more than 5 million tons sitting in basements, closets and drawers across the country, with 2 million new tons added to the waste stream each year. In fact, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, e-waste is the fastest growing segment of the nation's waste stream. By recycling old electronic products, useful materials such as glass, plastic and metal can be re-used in the manufacture of other products.

"LG Electronics is taking a proactive approach to helping consumers in the Sooner State responsibly dispose of end-of-life electronics by joining forces with Keep Oklahoma Beautiful and Waste Management to offer this free collection and recycling program to local residents," said Wayne Park, President and CEO, LG Electronics USA. "We encourage consumers to take advantage of this opportunity to dispose of unwanted electronics in an environmentally responsible manner. Life's good when you live green," he said.

This event allows Oklahomans to play a part in helping the environment and contribute to a more sustainable future. It is a great example of businesses and organizations showing leadership and taking responsibility in helping protect Oklahoma's environment.

Residents in Oklahoma are encouraged to drop off and recycle their electronics between 7: 30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 30, at Marc Heitz Chevrolet, 1221 Ed Noble Parkway in Norman or from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Direct Colors, 430 E 10th St. in Shawnee. To make recycling of electronic products easy and convenient at the eCycling drop-off locations, residents will not even need to get out of their vehicles. The eCycling crew members will collect all acceptable electronic products from trunks or pickup beds. Products not acceptable for eCycling will be left in the vehicles.

WM Recycle America, L.L.C., a subsidiary of Waste Management Inc., the largest waste services and residential recycling company in North America, operates eight eCycling Services Division North American eCycling facilities that have earned the designation- R2/RIOS Certified Electronics Recycler® for quality, environment, health and safety and data security during the electronics recycling process. WM Recycle America operates more R2/RIOS-certified eCycling facilities than any other company in the U.S., further strengthening its position as the leader in recycling services.

"We're very proud to provide this important recycling opportunity to the customers and residents we serve everyday across Oklahoma," said Patrick DeRueda, president of WM Recycle America. "Recovering valuable materials and resources, reducing volume in our landfills and responsibly managing waste while protecting the environment and serving our communities are top priorities for Waste Management," he added.

These events are part of the LG Electronics Recycling Program, which is designed to provide consumers with a convenient way to dispose of their used, unwanted, obsolete or damaged consumer electronics products. It also reflects Keep Oklahoma Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful's mission of engaging individuals to reduce waste and recycle more.

ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT

Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company's customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit http://www.wm.com/ or http://www.thinkgreen.com/.

Waste Management Recycle America is a subsidiary of Waste Management and is the largest residential recycler in North America. WM Recycle America's business lines include processing many types of consumer-generated recyclables and finding the best markets for the recyclable commodities produced. In its capacity of providing processing and marketing services, WM Recycle America offers a wide variety of recycling options for municipal, manufacturing, commercial and residential customers.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances, commercial displays, air conditioning systems and solar energy solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit http://www.lg.com/.

About Keep Oklahoma Beautiful

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to encourage, facilitate and recognize efforts that will improve the aesthetic, environmental and sustainable quality of life in Oklahoma. Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is pleased to be a partner in this extraordinary eCycling event. http://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/

SOURCE Waste Management