DANVILLE — It’s only a small bin outside W.I.T.S. to collect plastic, newspaper, cardboard and other recyclables, but it’s a start.

It’s also been a few weeks since the county’s free recycling program came to a stop.

Now W.I.T.S. (Web Innovations & Technology Services) is one business trying to pick up the slack.

W.I.T.S. opened in Danville in 2007 on Griggs Street, but moved to its current larger site on North Bowman about a year ago, according to Operations Manager Trina Bailey.

“We are first and foremost a non-profit electronics recycler…,” Bailey said. It also refurbishes computers and puts them back into the community for educational use.

But just recently — in addition to televisions, computers, microwaves and other equipment — it started taking plastics Nos. 1-7, cardboard and newspaper.

Bailey hopes the county, city or someone will donate larger bins to the non-profit to better collect these items for the community.

“We have to do this as a species and as a planet,” she said of recycling.

Bailey doesn’t know the cost for the bins, but said the non-profit has difficulty enough in paying utilities and keeping a building over their heads.

“The building is falling down around us,” Bailey said.

She said W.I.T.S. has seen the need in the community to step up, and Bailey just asks for time to be able to recycle more and more items.

W.I.T.S. takes about everything including electronics, clothes, cardboard, paper and all plastics. It does not take tires, oils/ chemicals.

“We’re working on glass and tires,” Bailey said.

She said they try to keep most items local, but some end up going to St. Louis.

W.I.T.S. has a 0 percent landfill policy.

W.I.T.S. is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Winter hours will be only Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

W.I.T.S. survives on a volunteer basis, Bailey added. Volunteers can earn workable televisions and computers.

Building Manager Lawrence Watkins said about 10 to 12 volunteers help each day.

W.I.T.S. also hosts special events, such as Saturday’s America Recycles Day Collection Event.

America Recycles Day 2009 is a comprehensive recycling awareness campaign.

Items accepted include all related: computers, monitors, printers, cables and peripherals, networking equipment, phones, clocks, TVs, all household electronics, all appliances, A/V equipment, washers, air conditioners, refrigerators, industrial equip-ment, lawn tools, mowers, tillers, motors, transformers, electrical equipment, car and lead containing batteries, medical and diag-nostic equipment, clothes, shoes, linens, VHS tapes, DVDs, CDs, cassette tapes, albums, cardboard, paper, cans, household plastic Nos. 1-7, latex paint and clothes.

Recycling fees:

-- $5 for monitors, laptops and appliances microwave size and larger.

-- Televisions up to 23 inch, $10; 24–40 inch, $15; over 40 inch and consoles, $20.

-- Latex paint (is charged per container and must be closed): quart, $1.50; gallon, $2.50; 2 gallon, $3.50; 5 gallon, $8.

Not accepted: Tires, chemicals/oils, wood or furniture.

Contact W.I.T.S. at 442-WITS or e-mail tbailey@witsinc.org for more information or to schedule pickups.

COMING UP

W.I.T.S. will host its third annual America Recycles Day Collection Event for residents from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in its parking lot at 1507 N. Bowman Ave. (former Eagle’s grocery store parking lot).