Electronics Recycling
Local electronics recycling events
Where else can I recycle my electronics?
Why should I recycle my electronics?
Why do I have to pay to recycle my electronics?
What questions should I ask the recycler?
What regulations do organizations have to uphold?
Where can I recycle my electronics?
A complete list of electronics recyclers in the Kansas City metro area is available in RecycleSpot.
Why should I recycle my electronics?
- To protect human health — Electronics can contain lead, chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, nickel, zinc and brominated flame retardants. Properly reusing or recycling electronics prevents these heavy metals and other toxic materials from potentially hurting our health.
- To protect the environment — Recycling recovers valuable materials (precious and other metals, plastics, and glass) from old electronics that can be used to make new products. As a result, we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce pollution, save energy, extend the life of landfills, and save resources by extracting fewer raw materials from the earth.
- To support your community — Donating your reusable electronics benefits your community by passing on ready-to-use or refurbished equipment to those who need it.
- To create local jobs — Recycling electronics creates jobs for recyclers and refurbishers and creates new markets for the valuable components that are dismantled. Existing recycling companies will hire more people to meet the growing workload. As the demand for electronics recycling grows, so will the need for new e-cycling businesses.
Why do I have to pay to recycle my electronics?
Recycling is a service that has associated costs: proper recycling and disposal methods, trucking, packing materials, labor and insurance.
What questions should I ask the recycler?
Most consumers who have decided to recycle their electronics are concerned about the cost of recycling, data security and where their recycled electronics will ultimately end up.
Ask your recycler the following questions:
- What do you charge to recycle my electronics?
- How do you ensure data security? Do you offer a data wiping service? If they do, ask if it meets NISPOM, or DoD 5220.22-M standards. The National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) or DoD 5220.22-M establishes the standard procedures and requirements for all government contractors concerning the use of classified information.
- How are my electronics processed once I give them to you? An electronics
recycler can utilize a variety of processing methods, including:
- brokering: matching buyers and sellers
- resale of whole units
- remanufacturing or refurbishing equipment
- demanufacturing: disassembling into parts and subassemblies
- material recovery: physical separation to capture plastics, metals, glass, etc.
- material processing such as shredding and grinding
- donation to schools, non-profit organizations, etc.
- Are your end markets safe and environmentally responsible? Can you provide the names, locations, and documentation or certification of your downstream disposition?
- Can you provide a description of state or local laws governing electronics recycling?
- Can you provide references and contact information for other businesses that have used your services?
- Are you a member of any of the following efforts? The following are organizations
or programs that authorize electronics recyclers:
- Basel Action Network (BAN) — BAN works in opposition to trade in toxic wastes, toxic products and toxic technologies, that are exported from rich to poorer countries. Electronics recycling companies can join their E-Stewards Initiative. E-Stewards recyclers are a group of leading North American electronics recyclers and asset managers who have been qualified as upholding the highest standard of environmental and social responsibility.
- E-Cycle Missouri — The goal of E-Cycle Missouri is to put in place a framework for reusing, recycling and disposing e-scrap in Missouri in an economically sustainable fashion without threatening the environment.
- ksewaste.org — The Kansas Bureau of Waste Management is responsible for programs associated with the handling and disposal of electronics in Kansas. In order to process e-waste, recycling businesses are required to obtain a permit from the State of Kansas.
- Plug-In To eCycling — Plug-In To eCycling is a partnership between EPA and electronic manufacturers and retailers to offer consumers more opportunities to donate or recycle their used electronics.
The Federal Electronics Challenge has an online guide (pdf) to help entities perform more in-depth, onsite reviews of electronics recyclers.
What regulations do organizations have to uphold?
State and federal laws specify procedures and reporting requirements for any organization that recycles as little as 220 pounds of electronics waste per month. Using an authorized electronics recycler is the only way to ensure compliance with the more than 550 state and federal e-waste laws currently on the books.
The penalties for improper recycling or inadequate reporting can be severe, up to $32,500 per day. For more information, visit EPA’s eCycling Regulations/Standards.
For more information, call 816/474-8326 or e-mail recycle@marc.org.
