Admiral Heights residents recycle electronics, scrap metal

The company, Junkluggers, got quite a haul when it held an electronics and scrap metal recycling event in Admiral Heights on Sept. 10. One resident brought 20 cell phones; another, six computers; still another, a couple of lawn chairs. Those were just some of the many items that filled up the Junkluggers’ truck.

Residents showed their enthusiasm for the event by verbal comments and Facebook posts. Sandy Oliver was impressed by their professionalism and helpfulness. She arrived early with a trunk full of recyclables. She was pleasantly surprised to find someone already there and willing to unload them. “They were on time and ready to go,” she said. “They were cheerful, welcoming and extremely helpful. I couldn’t have asked for better service.”

Paul Thorn also had a trunk full of recyclables. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “They took everything that we brought, including rechargeable batteries. Great service!”

The eco-friendly company has a history of helping communities and nonprofit organizations. Owned and operated by Sarah Kingsland and Brian Thurston, Junkluggers opened in May 2020 in the midst of the COVID pandemic. With everyone stuck at home cleaning and trying to get rid of things, the company got lots of calls for help from both homes and businesses.

And help, they did. “We want to keep stuff out of the dump and help the environment,” Brian said. “For paying customers, we’ll pick up anything except hazardous materials.”

Since the company picked up a lot of furniture, it partnered with Habitat for Humanity which used the new or almost new furniture and refurbished the rest. The company also held drop-off events like the one in Admiral Heights. Proceeds from the recycling at these events are matched and donated to the Baltimore Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS).

The Admiral Heights Improvement Association (AHIA) was made aware of the company’s community service through Trish May, a realtor for Keller Williams Integrity who has family connections to the community. Trish knew about Junkluggers’ work with the Coalition of Geriatric Services (COGS) out of Howard County.

Impressed with Junkluggers’ eco-friendly events, Trish asked Shivaugn Ahern, association president, if Admiral Heights would be interested in holding one. After talking with neighbors, Ahern decided there was enough community interest. “The AHIA Board (of Directors) wants to do activities that bring benefit to the community and show a value to AHIA membership,” Ahern said.

Junkluggers balances its community contributions with being a thriving business with both homes and businesses as paying customers. Anyone interested in scheduling the company for a community event or a job, call 1-800-lug-junk. To find out more about the company, go to www.junkluggers.com. The company’s motto is: “Saving the world, one lug at a time.”