Electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream on the planet. Orange County Government recently donated 572 computers to Triangle Ecycling to prevent them from becoming part of the nearly 80% of electronic waste that ends up in landfills and burn pits.
During the holiday season many people receive new electronics and are not sure what to do with their old devices. “Don’t toss out the old ones”, said Orange County Sustainability Programs Manager Amy Eckberg.
“Even if the item no longer works, you can give it away or donate it to organizations such as Triangle Ecycling,” Eckberg said. “By donating 412 desktops and 160 laptops Orange County has prevented them from ending up in the landfill. Those that can be reused will be and for the older ones, usable parts, such as the processors and the hard drives will be reused, and the other parts will be sorted out and recycled.”
Triangle Ecycling’s mission is to repurpose computers for good by supporting education, giving back to the community, and protecting the environment. Larry Herst, Founder and CEO says, “We support sustainability by teaching local high school students about the environmental impact of e-waste. The donated computers are used to teach students how to securely protect data, refurbish computers, as well as to learn the soft skills of working in a business, such as customer service and working in teams with the goal of helping them get a good start on their chosen career path. While we provide a convenient local drop off facility for our community, most of the computers we refurbish, sell and donate to local nonprofits come from Triangle businesses. We offer free pickup for businesses retiring their laptops,” added Herst.
Please also note that if you are repairing electronic devices, they may contain lithium, lithium-ion, and button cell batteries. These batteries are a fire hazard when disposed of incorrectly. Orange County Waste & Recycling Centers accept lithium, lithium-ion, and button cell batteries. Orange County Waste & Recycling Centers are for residential household waste only; commercial, business, and institutional waste is not accepted. Proof of residency is required.
Below are guidelines to dispose of these batteries safely as a resident:
- Never throw away or recycle lithium, lithium-ion, and button cell batteries. Bring them to the Lithium Battery drop-off at one of Orange County Waste & Recycling Centers.
- Tape the ends/terminals of each battery before bringing them to the Waste & Recycling Centers.
- If the battery is a button cell battery, tape the entire battery before bringing it to the Waste & Recycling Centers.
- Place lithium, lithium-ion, and button cell batteries in the receptacles labeled for Lithium Batteries.
- If you cannot remove batteries from an electronic device, dispose of the entire device in Electronics drop-off at the Waste & Recycling Centers.
- Please see a site attendant if you have any questions.
Businesses, commercial, and institutional waste is not accepted at the Waste & Recycling Centers. Please contact one of the following businesses to learn about battery disposal options:
- Town and Country Hardware: 919-554-4656
- Lowe's Hardware (rechargeable and cell phone batteries): 1-800-445-6937
- Staples (rechargeable and cell phone batteries): 919-942-4115
- Southeastern Camera (accepts camera batteries): 919-933-7757
How to Donate or Recycle Electronic Waste