"Give Me Your (Re)Tired TVs, Guns and Expired Medications"

The Malverne Police Department and Civic Association teamed up on Nov. 6 to offer services to village residents to keep the community safer and the environment cleaner.

Though the weather was brisk, officers from Malverne's police force and members of the civic association stood outside the Towne Service Station from 10am-2pm on Saturday. During this time, residents could drop off expired medication and firearms, and unwanted electronics and documents.

"We're not looking to nail anyone," said Malverne Police Chief John Aresta, who coordinated the collection of the drugs and ammunition. Anyone who dropped off these items were granted amnesty, including those with unlicensed firearms. "There were no questions asked."

Aresta explained that the motivation for starting this program was to keep the streets safer and the water sources free of harmful substances. He also had several people coming into the station recently asking what to do with their expired bullets and other ammunition.

The officers also accepted residents' old cell phones, which will be given to an organization that sends prepaid calling cards and cell phones to the troops overseas.

The police coordinated their collection drive with the Malverne Civic Association's E-Cycle and Document Shredding day. This was the third consecutive year that the organization held this event.

"Every year we do this, it gets bigger and better, with more residents dropping off more stuff," said Peter Robideau, president of the Malverne Civic Association. 

The e-cycling and document-shredding services were free to those who already belonged to the Malverne Civic Association. Non-members needed to pay $10 to participate in the program, but the price also included an annual membership in the civic association. Despite the donations, this event is still one of the civic association's biggest expenses. To help recoup some of the costs, the civic was also selling T-shirts and hoodies that proudly display "Malverne" across the chest. They ranged from $10 to $20 and are still available for purchase.

Throughout the day, residents handed over their old computers, televisions, and other electronic devices. "Basically, anything that has a plug" could be dropped off, Robideau explained. 

"It's important that this e-waste gets recycled, so it doesn't show up in our landfills," he added.