Electronic recycling

That old television, computer, fax machine or other electronic device that’s been collecting dust in your garage can be recycled at this year’s Reno Earth Day celebration on April 27, free of cost.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the electronic waste—or e-waste—recycling ending at 2 p.m. This aspect of Reno Earth Day is important this year because other e-waste recycling events that typically occur around this time are not happening this year.

“We pretty much always have a recycling-type thing in the Reno High parking lot every year,” event organizer Heather Howell said. “This year we’re doing the e-waste with TVs also, which a lot of e-wastes don’t do. And then paper recycling and they’re also taking bicycles for Kiwanis.”

The Reno High School parking lot will have a recycling hub designed for the convenience of Earth Day-goers—or anyone who wants or needs to recycle.

“We’ll have it set up where they can pull in, drop off and then park in the lot,” event organizer Anastacia Sullivan said.

“Or they don’t even have to park, they can drop their stuff off and then go do something else,” Howell said.

E-waste is accepted at some electronics stores, like Best Buy, and other locations throughout the year, but there are typically certain restrictions and fees. Most e-waste recycling is done at events throughout the year put on by different organizations in the area though. Computer Corps in Carson City also accepts electronic waste all the time, but they cannot accept televisions from individuals regularly.

Computer Corps will, however, accept televisions, old or new, at Earth Day, and there will be no fee or charge. Because of some of the chemicals in televisions, they are much more difficult to recycle than other electronics and are often not accepted or are only accepted with a fee. So if you have any televisions you’ve been waiting to get dispose of properly, this is the time.

“Even e-waste events that are free usually make you pay for TVs, so I think we’ll have a big bin just for all the TVs people bring,” Howell said.

Sullivan said she wants everyone to be able to enjoy and participate in all aspects of the day. She’s also happy to be able to accept e-waste for recycling because she doesn’t want it to end up in the trash or dump.

“Part of Earth Day is that we want it to be accessible regardless of what you’re coming from,” Sullivan said. “Ideally, it would be great if there was a monthly e-waste drop off, so that it’s not something where you just save up your junk and maybe you catch this for the year, but that you can dispose of it anytime properly.”

She also added that Computer Corps will reuse much of the e-waste to benefit families, schools and communities and provide them access to computers. Some other electronic gear will also be accepted.

“And I think this list doesn’t cover everything. … Because they [Computer Corps] will take everything,” Sullivan said. “I mean, they can take a do-hickey from anything and make it into something.”