CHARLOTTE – A new state law taking effect Friday, July 1, bans discarded computer equipment and televisions from landfills in North Carolina.

The ban includes computer processing units, laptops, keyboards, printers, printer/fax/scanner devices, mice and monitors. All televisions are banned, including flat-panels and projection televisions.

Year-round, residents may drop off televisions and computer equipment at no charge at one of the county’s electronics collection sites, including Goodwill Industries locations at 13123 Alexanderana Road near Huntersville and 19710 Kunkelman Drive in Cornelius. Find more information online at www.charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/SolidWaste/Documents/MecklenburgElectColSites.pdf.

Businesses should go online to www.charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/SolidWaste/BusinessRecycling/Pages/ElectronicsRecyclers.aspx to make arrangements for disposing of electronic waste.