Attention TV owners: Congress has mandated that after Feb. 17, 2009 television signals will only be transmitted through digital systems. Televisions with analog transmitting systems - antennas or bunny ears - will no longer be able to access broadcasting signals.

Congress justifies the digital switch as a way of providing better quality television for consumers that will make previous analog air waves available for public safety communication. As of March 1, all manufacturers are required to produce televisions with digital tuners.

Current analog users will either have to replace the electronic or obtain a digital converter.

This electronic mandate will result in many new purchases and discards of old products. Cornell Cooperative Extension encourages all homeowners to recycle unwanted electronics, rather than disposing products in nearby landfills.

The average American produces 5 pounds of trash every day resulting in billions of pounds of annual trash on a national scale, and that waste does not simply disappear. In fact, very little waste will actually decompose in a landfill. Recycling materials such as glass, plastic, metals and papers, will significantly reduce the size of our landfills and provide renewable resources.

Although most of our everyday materials can be recycled with little trouble, please remember that complex recyclables, such as electronics, require special recycling.

From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 17, the Natural Resource Center on County House Road in Auburn will be hosting the Electronics and Propane Tank Recycling Event for Cayuga County residents (no businesses please). Items that will be collected include, but are not limited to: stereos, DVD players, game systems, microwaves, Ethernet connections, propane tanks and fluorescent bulbs. TVs (only two televisions per household), computer monitors and small Freon appliances will also be collected for a small fee of $5.

TVs and computer monitors contain up to 8 pounds of lead.

Other electronics may contain mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals that are hazardous to the health of humans and the environment.

Propane tanks need to be handled by professionals in order to prevent explosions.

Proper disposal of products that contain hazardous materials can not be stressed enough.

The fifth annual Electronics Drop-Off Event is coordinated by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County, Cayuga County Department of Planning and Development, Cayuga County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cayuga County Solid Waste Management Program Office.

Funding is provided by NUCOR Steel of Auburn and the NYS DEC.

For more information about the recycling events of 2008 or inquiries regarding volunteering for our recycling events, please contact Cornell Cooperative Extension at 255-1138.

Sara Richards is an AmeriCorps environmental education assistant at Cornell Cooperative Extension Cayuga County