Electronics are made of various materials including metals, plastics, glass, and even chemicals which require extensive amounts of energy to mine and manufacture. Continuing advancements in technology renders our gadgets obsolete at a rate faster than ever. According to the EPA, “Although electronic waste is less than 10% of the current solid waste stream, it is growing 2-3 times faster than any other waste stream”. Recycling these items helps to preserve natural resources, prevent pollution, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. New York State law now prohibits the disposal of certain electronics items in the trash. However, when recycling electronics, it is important to do so safely and correctly.
The University of Rochester IT Equipment Recovery Program has offered employees a convenient electronics recycling service since August of 2012. Through the program, you can securely recycle both personal and University-owned electronics, free of charge. Pickups for University-owned equipment are scheduled online and are usually completed within a few days of the request. While waiting for your items to be picked up, it is important to keep them in a secured location in order to protect the data. Hard drives in recycled equipment are destroyed in a secure University location after pickup, and serial numbers are tracked. Personal or University-owned equipment can be dropped off at UR Tech Store‘s Medical Center location in G-7220B (next to the Copy Center) Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 4:00pm.
Items accepted through the IT Equipment Recovery Program include computers, laptops, printers, TVs, monitors, copiers, phones, mobile devices, servers, network equipment, keyboards, mice, cables, medical equipment, and other consumer electronics. Items that contain hazardous materials are not accepted, as they must be handled accordingly. Some examples are old thermostats or other equipment that containers mercury, as well as refrigerators, dehumidifiers, and air conditioning units, which contain refrigerants that must be properly extracted. If you have these or items, please contact the Environmental Compliance/Hazardous Waste Management Unit at x52056. Unwanted University-owned electronics are picked up from any University location Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm.
The University of Rochester partners with Sunnking for electronics recycling. Sunnking is an EPA R2 certified electronics recycling, data destruction, & asset management company dealing in end-of-life electronics and equipment. Sunnking makes its best effort to resell or reuse all electronics. All other electronics are recycled and used to make new products. Sunnking also partners with the University’s annual E-Cycle Day event, in which employees and students can drop off their unwanted electronics from home to be securely recycled. E-Cycle Day is typically scheduled on a Friday in late October.
As the program grows and develops, more electronics are diverted from landfills each year. Since the start of the program in 2012, 788,189 pounds of electronics have been collected. In fiscal year 2016 alone, nearly 240,000 pounds of electronics were collected making it the most successful year yet! For more information about the program, or to schedule a pick-up online, please visit http://tech.rochester.edu/services/it-equipment-recovery-program/.
Written by Alyssa Lemire, Class of 2017
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Will any of the recycle equipment be available for donation or resale?