Hey, Kane County, look at all the cool stuff you got (or bought for yourself) during the holidays this year!

• Why, there’s a new flat-screen TV!
• I see you got a replacement for that 10-year-old laptop that’s been collecting dust on the corner table. Well done!
• And here’s one of those fancy holiday-light projectors. That means you won’t have to climb up on the roof and string lights next year! How smart is that?

Now all you have to do is get rid of the old stuff to make way for the new.

“We can help you with that,” Kane County Recycling Coordinator Jennifer Jarland said in a news release this week.

Kane County will be hosting a special post-holiday recycling event from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Kane County Branch Court, 540 S. Randall in St. Charles — the perfect place and time to recycle some of those less-used, un-used or obsolete electronics and books.

“We decided to make an exception to the winter break this year and planned a January event to help people out with the post-Christmas purge,” Jarland said. “Everyone’s got TVs or other old electronic items to get rid of at this time of year — tablets, laptops or holiday lights. Why not do the right thing for the environment and drop them off on Jan. 14?

“All acceptable electronic items can be dropped off for free, except for TVs and monitors which now have a cost” Jarland said.

Television sets and computer monitors can be recycled at a cost of $25 each for screens that measure under 21 inches diagonally, and $35 each for units with screens measuring 21 inches or more. You can pay at site only with cash or a card. Another option is to pay online in advance at countyofkane.org/Recycling. The fee goes directly to the county’s contracted electronics recycler, eWorks, a non-profit whose main mission is to employ developmentally disabled individuals.

For more information on the event, as well as electronics recycling, visit this page of the Kane County Recycles website.

Winter Break Resumes After Jan. 14

That Jan. 14 recycling event is a good one to attend because Kane County Recycles will resume the traditional winter break for the cold-weather months of February and March.

So mark your calendars: The next Kane County recycling event will be held on April 1, 2017.

And that’s no April Fool’s joke.

“At the April event, we will be offering electronics, books and latex paint recycling as well as confidential document shredding,” Jarland said. “This event is on the first Saturday of the month instead of the regular second Saturday, because that is when the document shredders were available!”

Monthly events planned for May through November will all be on the second Saturdays of each month.

“And remember: You can always use the three new drop-off locations Monday through Friday for electronics recycling,” Jarland said.

Electronics Drop-offs Closed on MLK Day

The Kane County Electronics Recycling Drop-offs are open Monday through Friday every week, except for one upcoming closure for the Martin Luther King Day holiday on Monday, Jan. 16.

Kane County Electronics Recycling Locations

Fabyan Parkway, Batavia

• Address: 517 Fabyan Parkway, Batavia, IL 60510 (former jail site)
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday

South Elgin Public Works

• Address: 735 Martin Drive, South Elgin, IL 60177 (Old Public Works Department)
• Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday

West Dundee Public Works

• Address: 900 Angle Tarn, West Dundee, IL 60118
• Hours:  7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. (Note that these hours are an hour earlier than other sites.)