Electronics

When is our next electronics recycling event?

We will host our 10^th annual electronics recycling event on Saturday, September 23, 2023, 8-10am. The event will take place in our usual spot at eastbound 3^rd Street between Lincoln and Pearl, next to City Hall and the Auditorium. Donations are encouraged and there will be fees for CRTs (tube TVs and monitors) and microwaves. Stay tuned for details. If you prefer not to wait, try Nebraska Electronics Recycling & Disposal in Norfolk. Call first at 402-750-6093 to confirm what they will take and if there are any fees.

What kind of electronics do we accept?

We accept TVs, monitors, computers, laptops, floppy discs & CDs, telephones, cell phones, printers, cameras, cords, keyboards & accessories, networking equipment (routers, modems, Ethernet cables), docking stations, stereos, speakers, CD players, gaming stations, chargers and more. Sorry, no batteries, large appliances, or dehumidifiers/humidifiers accepted. See a detailed list below.

Are there any fees?

Yes, we ask for a suggested donation of $10 per carload and $50 per business load of reasonable size. Our priority is to serve households, which have limited access to electronic recycling services. There are specific fees for more hazardous electronics, such as TVs and monitors containing CRTs, and microwaves, which are difficult to recycle. All fees help support City of Wayne community programs focused on waste reduction as part of our overall Zero Waste strategy.

Suggested donation of $10 per carload, $50 per business load of reasonable size
Additional fees for hazardous electronics containing CRTs (Cathode Ray Tubes):
- Monitors: $5
- TVs: $10
$15 fee for each microwave
No fee for flatscreens

Why should I recycle my electronic waste, TV or monitor instead of throwing it in the landfill?

E-waste is hazardous because of its potential to release toxic heavy metals -- lead, cadmium, mercury -- into the environment if not managed and disposed of properly. Many TVs and monitors contain CRTs, or Cathode Ray Tubes, which contain these hazardous substances among other things. A standard CRT monitor can contain up to eight pounds of lead, while the mercury amount is smaller but just as harmful. When these items are thrown in the landfill, they get broken, which causes leaching into the soil and groundwater when it rains.

Our electronics recycling vendor, The Retrofit Companies, transfers the collected materials to specialized facilities in the U.S. where the E-waste is broken down to its individual commodity components and all hazardous materials are separated and recycled per EPA requirements.

The Wayne Green Team pays the Retrofit Companies to dispose of electronics in a responsible and environmentally safe way. Your efforts make a difference in protecting our planet.

What are the benefits of recycling electronics?

Recycling your old electronics impacts the environment positively in several ways:

Keeps potentially harmful waste out of the landfills
Protects personal information on electronic devices
Repurposes useful electronics
Takes less energy to reuse than to renew

Items NOT Accepted for Electronics Recycling

Batteries
Large household appliances, such as refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, dryers and washers
Air Conditioners
Dehumidifiers & humidifiers
Household Hazardous Waste

List of Acceptable Items for Electronics Recycling

AC adapters
Audio/Visual Equipment
Blenders
Bread maker
Calculators
Cameras
CD-ROM / DVD drives
Cell Phones
Circuit Boards
Computers & Components
Credit Card Machines
Curling Irons
Digital Cable Boxes
Docking Stations
Electric Shavers
Electronic Toothbrushes
Fans (small household)
Fax Machines
Flash Drives
Hair Dryers
Handheld Portable Bar Code Scanners
Hard Drives
iPods
Keyboards & Mice
Laptops
Mixers (kitchen type)
Modems
Monitors (CRT, LCD, LED)
Networking Equipment (switches, routers, modems, Ethernet cables)
Patient monitors
Power cords / Power strips / Power supplies
Printers
Projectors
Routers
Scanners
Servers
Sewing Machines
Stereo Equipment
Televisions (CRT, LCD, LED)
Telephone Systems
Test Equipment
Toasters & toaster ovens
Toner cartridges
Two-Way Radio Equipment
UPS power supplies
Vacuums (upright or shop)
VHS/DVD players
VHS tapes (yes, this vendor will recycle them!)
Video Game equipment
Wires & Cables

What's our community's track record for recycling electronics?

Since 2013, the Wayne Green Team has hosted an electronics recycling event nine times and diverted nearly 80 tons of electronics from the landfill. Way to go Wayne!

Electronics Recycling Recap for 2022

Our incredible thanks to everyone involved with our 9^th annual electronics recycling event on September 24, 2022. Here are the highlights from our event:

13,650 pounds of electronics, including 5,700 pounds of tube TVs and monitors, and 15 microwaves
140 carloads served, only 3 fewer than 2021
$3,000 in donations and fees collected to support our Zero Waste programs
58 volunteers contributed 66 hours, including 46 WSC student athletes and coaches, and 12 Green Team volunteers
2 city employees provided support from start to finish at the event, directing traffic and running a skidloader

We owe special thanks to the many people who helped make our annual event a success:

Coach Kaminksy and the Wayne State College Men’s Basketball team
Coach Hester and the Wayne State College Women’s Soccer team
Green Team Volunteers Anne Liska, Bob McLean, Bonnie Andersen, Gail McCorkindale, Kasen York, Katie Diediker, Kim Schulz, Jason Price, Josie Ley, Mason Ley, and Sumi Koh.
City employees Ryan Henschke and Officer Marshall provided terrific help at the event. Plus, we had great support from many additional staff in advance, including Chief Chinn, Chanelle Belt, Wes Blecke and Joel Hansen.
Retrofit for its great logistical efforts and coordination of the event.
Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy for funding via the Waste Reduction and Recycling Incentive Grant.

With partners like these, the community of Wayne will continue to be successful in our efforts to Recycle Right and reach Zero Waste. Thank you!

Questions or want to help?

Email us and be sure to like us on Facebook. Thank you!