Nov. 4--When Frank Corleto Jr. told Loyalhanna Watershed Association officials to start charging the public for its electronics recycling -- or e-cycling -- program, he sought to assure them they'd be far from the first to do so.

Corleto, recycling coordinator for Greensburg-based Scott Electric Co., the association's contracted e-cycling hauler, said it was the only decision that made economic sense.

"He actually said we were somewhat of an oddity today for not charging," said Susan Huba, the association's program manager.

On Oct. 1, the association began charging $2 to $10 to dispose of unwanted or outdated personal computers, desktop printers, microwave ovens, paper shredders, DVD players and large-scale copy machines at its Andi Lane facility in Ligonier Township. It had offered those services for free since 2003.

"As with all nonprofits, our funding sources for this program have declined, and we cannot continue to offer this program free of charge," said Drew Banas, the association's executive director.

To Westmoreland Cleanways, which started its e-cycling program in 2008 and is ineligible for state and federal funding to help finance the service, giving it away is unthinkable.

"From our perspective, electronics recycling is an expensive proposition," said Ellen Keefe, executive director. "If an entity is offering this service free of charge or for less money, it's because there is funding available to help them."

Such is the case with Loyalhanna Watershed Association, which has about half of its cost to run the service covered each year with money disbursed by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The association avoids charging nearly twice as much as it does because of the availability of the state money, Huba said.

But other outfits don't have that luxury, including Keefe's group and the Pittsburgh-based Pennsylvania Resources Council, which process collected e-cyclables via eLoop LLC, a Plum-based electronics recycling hauler.

"What we charge for the service is exactly what eLoop charges us," said Dave Mazza, Pennsylvania Resources Council's western region director.

At an upcoming collection event, the council will charge participants $5 for personal computers, laptops and servers; $10 for monitors; $15 for combo personal computers; $5 for printers, scanners and fax machines; and $2 for VCRs, DVD players, telephones and routers.

In the past year, eLoop offered about 20 public collection events. Ten of them were held by Westmoreland Cleanways and the Pennsylvania Resources Council, which each charge the same or similar prices.

"They charge what they charge because we have to cover labor, hauling and handling costs," said Ned Eldridge, eLoop's president and CEO.

This fall, the state House is reviewing HB 708, legislation that would ban the disposal of electronic items in landfills and would impose a state-sanctioned e-cycling program, Eldridge said.

"Only 15 states have enacted landfill bans, and this state is still probably between 12 and 18 months away from it," Eldridge said. "But when the ban exists here and this service is state-regulated, it will be less expensive for the consumer and more fair for the marketers all around."

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