3 months ago
ROSEVILLE, CA - At Sims Recycling Solutions in Roseville, workers are used to getting their hands dirty.
"Everything gets ripped apart," said Sims employee Robert Fragosa of all the electronic waste -- computers, printers, electronic components -- they handle at the facility.
Still, plant manager James Cuppet said he was pretty surprised when he got a phone call from the Discovery Channel show "Dirty Jobs." In the popular show, host Mike Rowe criss-crosses the nation, doing the dirtiest jobs in America.
Even though the plant prides themselves on being green and clean, the work is often anything but.
"Things like your ink cartridges, toner, mercury switch, bulbs, batteries. You don't want to shred those materials because they are hazardous waste. All the materials are pulled out and dismantled," Sims plant manager James Cuppet said.
The plant recycles electronics that companies and consumers do not use anymore.
Fragoso was one of the Sims guys tasked to show Rowe how it's done. "Two to three minutes a piece...the more we can dismantle, the better the process goes," Fragoso said.
They put Rowe to the test, giving the host a shredder to clean out to see if he had what it takes to be part of the team.
"He performed it very well. He was quite tired and sweaty half way through the day and realized what a hard job it can be. It was really exciting to have the chance to have him out here," Cuppet said.
The plant recycles over a 100,000 pounds of electronics a day and 3 million pounds a month.
For anyone looking to get rid of old unneeded electronics, Sims has a free drop off Friday and every first Friday of the month.
News10/KXTV
