Contact: Thad Nation
414.412.7814
Electronic waste should not be discarded outdoors
MILWAUKEE — With the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reporting an uptick in the number of electronic items recovered from Wisconsin ditches, landscapes and waterways, it’s important to remind consumers that old or unwanted electronics should be properly e-cycled with registered E-Cycle Wisconsin collectors.
“We are fortunate that Wisconsin has such a strong e-cycling program in place throughout the state, and there is no reason that anyone should improperly discard computers, televisions or other electronic devices outdoors,” says Thad Nation, executive director of Wired Wisconsin. “Illegally discarding e-waste is harmful to the environment and passes along responsibility of proper disposal to taxpayers, sometimes even individual landowners.”
Fortunately, Wisconsin has more than 150 registered e-cycle collectors involved in the state’s E-Cycle Program. These collectors have more than 400 collection sites throughout Wisconsin. Depending on the site and the collector, items can be dropped off for free or a nominal charge.
A complete list of registered E-Cycle collectors can be found on the DNR web site here: http://dnr.wi.gov/wastemgmt/wm/wmexternal/ShellReportViewer.aspx?RID=14.
Last year, Wisconsin’s E-Cycle program kept a substantial amount of recyclable electronic waste out of landfills – 6.2 pounds of waste per Wisconsin resident. In addition to its environmental benefit, E-Cycle Wisconsin also generates economic growth for collectors, recyclers and redistributors of collected materials, which is good for the Wisconsin economy as a whole.
