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Electronic Equipment

Electronic EquipmentElectronic Equipment

Banned From Garbage
Recyclable

How to Manage Electronic Equipment in the workplace

 

Disposing of electronics waste can be difficult. Frequently, the toxic materials found in electronic components make even ordinary electronic equipment unsafe for simple disposal. Some require management as hazardous waste at approved facilities. In fact, cathode-ray tubes(CRTs) found in TVs and computer monitors are banned from disposal in mixed municipal solid waste in Minnesota in order to protect our communities from dangerous lead.

In the face of regulatory concerns and rising disposal costs,the solution is a sound waste management program. The benefits to your company can be measured in time and money. Following waste management principles can help you avoid penalties for polluting, save time otherwise spent on managing hazardous waste, and reduce disposal costs - all through the easily-applied practices of waste reduction, reuse and recycling.


Consider an AlternativeConsider an Alternative


Waste Reduction

Begin your program with a new approach to purchases. Buy with reducing or eliminating disposal costs in mind:
  • Consider equipment leasing, which eliminates disposal concerns.
  • Purchase equipment that is designed for easy repair, upgrades or recycling; extending the life of equipment reduces waste.
  • Consider purchasing refurbished equipment and/or that containing recycled materials.
  • Request that the manufacturer or dealer take back used electronic equipment, or pursue a take back agreement at the time of purchase.

Recycling

Recycling allows your business to avoid costly and time-consuming hazardous waste compliance requirements for electronics waste. Recycling electronics has environmental and economic benefits, such as keeping hazardous materials out of landfills and saving valuable components and materials. Individual businesses can realize several direct advantages:
  • No hazardous waste generator license is required for these wastes.
  • No license fees or reporting is required for these wastes, if no other hazardous waste is generated by your business.
  • You can transport your own waste, in accordance with MnDOT's Hazardous Materials transportation requirements, to the processing facility.
  • You can record waste shipments on a waste-tracking invoice rather than a hazardous waste manifest.
As with all waste, businesses are responsible for their waste electronics forever. Carefully track and document how yours is managed.

Manufacturer Take Back Programs

Several leading manufacturers reclaim electronics equipment at the end of its useful life. Increasingly popular as a form of product stewardship, these "take back" programs remove disposal burdens from businesses while reducing overall waste costs for municipalities. Consult the web sites of the following manufacturers for further information:

Reuse and Donations

As a viable alternative to disposal, reuse carries benefits for your business as well as the recipient of the equipment.

Donate usable equipment in good condition to a charity, school, non-profit or other organization, or contact the Minnesota Materials Exchange Program at (612) 624-1300. See Donation Opportunities or contact the Minnesota Computers for Schools Program at (651) 779-2816 for more information. Call first, to verify acceptance of your equipment.

Other options include reconditioning, refurbishing and resale. These apply mainly to equipment with resale value, such as computers. If reselling, inquire about how unusable components are to be managed. See Computers, Electronics and Office Equipment.

Resources

For more information on managing electronics waste responsibly, download the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency fact sheet Managing Electronic Equipment.

For information on managing electronics under the full requirements of the Hazardous Waste Rules, see Hazardous Waste Management.

Success StoriesSuccess Stories

Donating Electronics

 

Washington County recycles its in-house computer equipment and electronics with Asset Recovery Corporation. From 2000 to 2005, the county recycled over 99,627 pounds of material.

Washington County also donates useable equipment to Computers for Schools in Bayport, Minnesota. Since 2000, the county has donated over 10,619 pounds of material. Avoiding recycling costs through donation has saved the county approximately $2,500. Author: Washington County www.co.washington.mn.us/publichealth


Disposal InformationDisposal Information

Recycling is often less expensive than managing under full hazardous waste requirements.  Minnesota is fortunate to have a number of local electronic recyclers. Recyclers disassemble equipment, salvage parts and send unused materials to final processors.

When finding a recycler for waste electronics, first determine:

  • What fees are charged?
  • Is the recycling done domestically or abroad?
  • How are CRTs and circuit boards processed?
  • Can the recycler provide certification that explains the disposition of the equipment and its parts - or, alternatively, can it provide references?

 

For a list of disposal and drop-off sites see Computers, Electronics & Office Equipment.

For more information on each facility, including a list of other items accepted, click on the facility name.

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Facility Notes Services
1
Asset Recovery Corporation
2299 Territorial Road
St. Paul, MN, 55116
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-602-0789

Electronic Equipment   
2
B & E Recycling Station Inc
16501 Hwy 10 NW
Elk River, MN, 55330
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-441-7211

Electronic Equipment   
3
Burg Electronic Recovery
6043 Highway 10 W
Anoka, MN
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
612-598-2257

Electronic Equipment   
4
Certified Recycling Center
14305 Ewing Ave
Burnsville, MN, 55306
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
952-894-1448

Electronic Equipment   
5
Computer Electronic Salvage
2300 Kennedy St NE
Minneapolis, MN, 55413
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
612-379-1005

Electronic Equipment   
6
Dakota County Recycling Zone
3365 South Highway 149
Eagan, MN, 55122
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-905-4520

Electronic Equipment  Call for hours. 
7
Earth First Computer Recycling Resources
6043 Hwy 10 NW
Anoka, MN, 55303
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-576-8453

Electronic Equipment   
8
Expetec of Blaine
10078 Flanders Court NE, Suite 130
Blaine, MN, 55449
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-783-8600

Electronic Equipment   
9
Green Lights Recycling
10040 Davenport St. NE
Blaine, MN, 55449
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-785-0456

Electronic Equipment   
10
GreenDisk

p:
800-305-3475

Electronic Equipment  Accepts rechargable batteries and computer cords, cables, and chips 
11
JR's Advanced Recyclers
10619 Courthouse Blvd.
Inver Grove Heights, MN, 55077
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-454-9215

Electronic Equipment   
12
Materials Processing Corporation
2805 West Service Road
Eagan, MN, 55121
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-681-8099

Electronic Equipment   
13
Metro Appliance Recycling
16403 60th Steet NE
Otsego, MN, 55330
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-241-8787

Electronic Equipment  Work with commercial customers including fast food chains, manufacturing warehouses, waste companies, property management companies, roll-off companies, cities, other recyclers. 
14
OceanTech
1313 Winter St NE
Minneapolis, MN, 55431
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
6123314456

Electronic Equipment   
15
Parnell Enterprises Inc
5275 Geneva Ave
Oakdale, MN, 55128
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-779-7076

Electronic Equipment  data destruction available 
16
Randy's Sanitation - Delano
4351 US Hwy 12 SE
Delano, MN
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
7639723335

Electronic Equipment   
17
Randy's Sanitation Inc. - South
12620 Vincent Ave South
Burnsville, MN, 55337
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-972-3335

Electronic Equipment   
18
Randy's Sanitation, Inc. - North
5625 Quam Ave NE
Saint Michael, MN, 55376
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-972-3335

Electronic Equipment   
19
Recycle America Alliance - eCycling(sm) Services
1800 Broadway Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
612-379-1360 x 11

Electronic Equipment   
20
Recycle Technologies
4000 Winnetka Ave. N
New Hope, MN, 55427
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-559-5130

Electronic Equipment   
21
Retrofit Companies
2960 Yorkton Blvd
Little Canada, MN, 55117
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-766-7422

Electronic Equipment  Accepts: TV's, computers, computer peripherals, VCRs, DVD players and fax machines. Fee: Yes Data destruction: Yes, no additional fee. Collection Methods: Drop-off  
22
Rohn Industries, Inc./Shred Right
862 Hersey St.
St. Paul, MN, 55114
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-647-1300

Electronic Equipment   
23
South Metro Resource Recovery
3230 W. 130th St.
Shakopee, MN
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
952-746-5676

Electronic Equipment   
24
Twin City Refuse & Recycling
318 Water St W
St. Paul, MN
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-227-1549

Electronic Equipment   
25
Vasko/Veolia ES - Como Avenue
309 Como Ave
St. Paul, MN, 55103
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-487-8546
651-774-0916

Electronic Equipment   
26
Waste Management LampTracker
2007 West County Road C-2
Roseville, MN, 55113
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
651-628-9370

Electronic Equipment   
27
WF Industries, Inc.
8000 Powell Road
Hopkins, MN, 55343
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
952-405-9289

Electronic Equipment   
28
WM - Elk River Landfill
22460 Highway 169
Elk River, MN, 55330
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-441-2464

Electronic Equipment   
29
WM Twin Cities ReCyCo Transfer Station
1691 91st Ave. NE
Blaine, MN, 55449
United States
See map: Google Maps
p:
763-784-4772

Electronic Equipment  Small-volume pick-up options available; call 952-890-1100.  

Select materials or services to see facilities.