Whitehall Township’s annual electronics recycling and document shredding event is set for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 21 at the municipal campus, 3219 MacArthur Road.

Sponsored by the township and Whitehall Township Environmental Advisory Council, the event is expected to draw a crowd of residents, and there will be volunteers to assist them with dropping off items.

Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. said each driver dropping off materials for recycling and document shredding will be required to show proof of township residency.

Fees are charged for dropping off TV sets, CRT monitors, LCD monitors, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, floor freezers and refrigerators. The fees range from $8 to $55.

There is no fee for disposal of bed frames, rain spouting, desktop and laptop computers, telephones, cellphones, car batteries, exercise equipment, keyboards and mice, printers and fax machines, filing cabinets, microwaves, small appliances, cables and cords, UPS battery backups, metal items, stereos and speakers, calculators, adding machines, cellphone and laptop batteries, gaming systems, toner and ink cartridges, audio-visual equipment, DVD players and VCRs.

Hozza said the materials dropped off are weighed in order to receive a state grant for recycling.

The event will take place rain or shine.

In addition, there will be a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) etching of vehicles available by Lehigh County Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task Force. This is available to all Lehigh County residents.

VIN etching is the process of chemically etching a vehicle’s unique identification number on all windows and sunroofs. The process does not harm the windows and doesn’t detract from the appearance of the vehicle.

Detectives who do the VIN etching, which takes minutes, use special software and a dot matrix printer to create stencils with the identification number on them. The stencils then are applied to each of the vehicle’s windows and are dabbed with an acid solution. The stencils are removed, and the glass is cleaned with glass cleaner. The number remains behind and is lightly etched into the glass.

Etching is a simple way to deter thieves from stealing a vehicle. If someone steals a VIN-etched vehicle, the thief will have to replace all the windows or deface the glass to remove the etching, so the vehicle cannot be identified as being stolen, according to task force Detective Sgt. Salvatore Aprile.

There is no limit on the number of vehicles motorists can bring to the event.

Along with document shredding, the VIN etching is free.

Residents also may drop off canned and boxed food donations for Whitehall Food Pantry during the Saturday event.