Welcome to E-Cycle Washington

Many electronic devices, especially TVs and computers, contain toxic materials such as lead, cadmium and mercury. Reusing and recycling electronics keeps these toxic materials out of our landfills and incinerators and also recovers valuable resources.

Electronics collected through E-Cycle are taken apart and separated into materials such as glass, plastic, metal and toxic chemicals. All recycling follows performance standards set up by the Department of Ecology.

 

The following items are eligible:

• televisions
• computers
• computer monitors
• portable or laptop computers including "tablet computers"
• e-readers (also called e-book readers)
• portable DVD players

Please note that computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and printers are not included in this program.

The following groups are eligible to participate in E-Cycle:

• Households: Residents of Washington
• Small businesses:  Businesses in Washington with less than 50 employees.
• Charitable organizations: Charitable organizations in Washington that qualify for a taxation exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
• Schools and school districts: Washington schools, both public and private, and school districts through grade 12 can use this program.  Colleges, universities and vocational schools are not eligible unless they meet the definition of a small business or are tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
• Special purpose districts:  The Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington maintains a list of special purpose districts in Washington State. Not all eligible special purpose districts are included in this list. Contact Christine Haun to determine eligibility for special purpose districts not on the list.
• Small governments: Small governments are defined as a government agency for a city in Washington with a population less than 50,000, or a county in Washington with a population less than 125,000.

Many other electronics can and should be recycled. You may need to pay a fee to recycle items the E-Cycle WA program doesn't cover.

Recycling locations for covered electronic products may also take peripherals (such as mice, keyboards, speakers, printers, and scanners), cell phones, MP3 players, game consoles, and DVD players. Check 1800recycle.wa.gov and call ahead to see what items a recycler will accept.

To find electronics recyclers near you, visit http://1800recycle.wa.gov.

All E-Cycle Washington recyclers must meet the minimum performance standards in the Electronic Products Recycling Rule (WAC 173-900). In addition, all recyclers used by the WMMFA meet the voluntary Preferred Performance Standards found in Ecology's Environmentally Sound Management and Performance Standards for Direct Processors.

Most of the electronics are disassembled for recycling here in Washington. Some electronics go out-of-state for processing and some materials are exported for recycling at approved facilities. The goal of the program, however, is to prevent electronics from being exported to countries with weak hazardous waste regulations.

Metals, plastics and glass are separated and sold as commodities to be reused as raw materials in the manufacturing of new products. On average only 2 percent of the total volume goes to a landfill - mostly particle board from cabinet TVs. Toxic materials such as batteries, leaded glass, circuit boards and fluorescent tubes must be managed properly by approved recyclers.

Registered collection sites must accept televisions, computers, computer monitors, and laptop computers from households at no cost. There may be a charge for home pick-up, curbside services, or other premium services.

A Washington State law passed in 2006 requires electronics manufacturers to pay for this recycling program. The law is an example of "producer responsibility," where the company that makes a product is responsible for recycling the product at the end of its life. Manufacturers include the costs of recycling their products in the cost of doing business.

For more information about producer responsibility, visit the Northwest Product Stewardship website at www.productstewardship.net.

If you have more than 10 electronic items, please contact the WMMFA at 1-855-674-5871 before bringing them to a collection location.

Reusing Electronics

Before you get rid of your old TV, computer, or other electronic device, you can check out a website like ifixit.com for tips on how to upgrade or repair it.

Before you recycle, consider reuse or repair

If your computer or TV is working and in good condition, someone else may be able to use it. Tips for donating your electronics:

• Do the PC Thing: Donate - Information from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on donating your computer for reuse.
• Where Can I Donate or Recycle My Old Computer and Other Electronic Products? - The EPA's resource page for reuse destinations.
• Donate a Computer to a Community Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher - Search for participants in the Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher program, which provides operating system software for refurbished computers.
• Computer reuse ideas from Earth911

Disclaimer
The Department of Ecology does not endorse any of these websites or services or guarantee the quality of the service, parts, advice, or content provided. There may be other websites or qualified businesses to offer these services in addition to those listed.

Data Security

Are you worried about leaving data on your computer when donating or recycling it? It's up to you to remove any sensitive data from your computer before taking it to a collector.

The Washington Materials Management & Financing Authority and its collectors don't guarantee the security of confidential data stored in the electronic products they collect.

Simply formatting your drive or deleting files doesn't destroy data. Many software programs, though, can do this for you. TechSoup has articles explaining how to destroy your data:

• Avoid Data Theft: Clean Your Old Hard Drives
• Obliterate Your Hard Drive Data with Disk-Wiping Software

Disclaimer
The Department of Ecology does not endorse any of these websites or services or guarantee the quality of the service, parts, advice, or content provided. There may be other websites or qualified businesses to offer these services in addition to those listed.

 

E-Cycle WA reports and collection statistics can be found on our program guidance and reports page.