EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge exceeds goals

EPA Great Lakes Earth Day Challenge a Resounding Success; More E-Waste and Old Meds Collections This Weekend

EPA Regional Administrator Mary A. Gade encourages public to participate in remaining events of the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge

(Chicago, Illinois) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Mary A. Gade celebrated Earth Day 2008 with crowds gathered at Daley Plaza in Chicago.

This video shows some of the fun, music and serious business that was at hand.

Over two million pills have been collected so far, and the goal was one million.

Over one million tons of electronics was targeted - and early results show that figure will be exceeded by far.

Gade encouraged everyone to participate in the EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge that runs through the end of April.

While some events were held last weekend, many of the challenge electronic and pharmaceutical collections are this Saturday, April 26 across eight states.
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CHICAGO, April 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Communities and residents of the Great Lakes basin have responded enthusiastically to EPA's Great Lakes Earth Day Challenge to collect 1 million pounds of electronics for recycling and 1 million pills for safe disposal to keep contaminants out of the Great Lakes.

In the past week, 75 collections were held in towns and cities around the Great Lakes.

Almost 70 more collections are scheduled in the week ahead.

"We are very pleased that so many people have stepped up to accept the Great Lakes Earth Day Challenge," said EPA Great Lakes National Program Manager and Region 5 Administrator Mary A. Gade. "Communities have reported collecting more medicines and electronics this Earth Week than at any previous collections."

EPA has received preliminary results from just ten of those collections and can report that 2,184,000 pills have already been turned in for safe disposal -- more than double the challenge goal.

EPA also expects to far exceed its goal for e-waste based on 216,000 pounds of electronics collected at six events.

"Let's keep the momentum going this weekend. This is an easy way for everyone to take part in protecting the Great Lakes. Find a nearby collection event and safely get rid of old electronics and medicines," added Gade.

Collections will take place this weekend this in Buffalo, Chicago, Erie, Duluth, Fort Wayne, Milwaukee and many other communities.
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A complete list of collections and their locations is available on EPA's Web site:
http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/earthday2008/events.html
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EPA Press release.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/epas-great-lakes-earth-day,367679.shtml
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Flow of the River EPA Blog including Chicago Earth Day event:
http://flowoftheriver.epa.gov/greatlakeschallenge
http://flowoftheriver.epa.gov/greatlakeschallenge/2008/04/earth-day-in-re.html
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Earth911 Story on EPA Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day Challenge:
http://earth911.org/blog/2008/03/14/epas-great-lakes-2008-earth-day-challenge...
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The interfaith Earth Healing Initiative:
http://www.earthhealinginitiative.org
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