Electronic Recycling for the Holidays

By Melanie Stewart

photo credit: freeimages.com/adriankeith

The holiday season often brings new gifts and additional electronics, as new items become available and old ones are upgraded.  It’s not the best environmental practice, but if you do have items to get rid of, try reusing them.  Pass personal items on to friends and family members for continued use; and many charities will take functioning items for others to use.
If those options don’t work, please recycle them.  You can hold on to electronic items to recycle during Earth Week, but if you’d like to get rid of them more quickly, consider the resources below, including the new “Greener Gadget” webpage provided by the Consumer Technology Association.  We have lots of choices from Omaha, Lincoln, and Iowa.  Not all are free and some restrictions exist, so check with the vendor first.

These are not endorsements–use at your own risk.

GreenerGadgets.org  When you type in your zip code,  potential eCycling locations will be provided.  Use the “more info” button below each to see what they accept.

Common eCyclers include BestBuy, Staples, and the Salvation Army

Scrap Central, 2728 North 85th Street, Omaha 402-393-6620.
Accepting LCD monitors, printers, mice, keyboards at no charge; purchases computer towers, laptops, cell phones, tablets, computer wires/cables, servers and computer boards and destroys information.  Car batteries and scrap vehicles are also accepted. Cannot accept televisions or CRT monitors. During holiday season they accept decorative lights.  Proceeds from recycling go to local charities.

Goodwill Stores:  Home Computers & Electronics. All information will be safely wiped clean, and computer equipment will be recycled or resold. NO TVs or microwaves accepted.

Midwest Electronic Recycling: 4366 South 87th Street, Omaha, 402-201-2270
DataShield Corporation, 1528 North 16th Street, Omaha, 402-898-5000

PC Recycling, 7754 “I” Plaza, Omaha, 402-763-8767

Cross Training Center, 5030 North 72nd Street, Omaha    402-590-2100.

Automobiles, Electronics & appliances (anything with a battery or a plug, large or small, working or not.

CTI Electronics, 204 East Erie Street, Missouri Valley, IA 51555  712-642-2030
Takes any electronic that has a plug or uses a battery.  Provides hard-drive destruction with documentation.  Batteries, toner and ink cartridges, CRT TVs and Monitors accepted with fee.
Nebraska Recycles/Systems Solutions, 17 Gateway Mall, Lincoln.402-405-2365

Computers, with onsite hard-drive destruction; virtually all electronics, CRT Monitors and TVs accepted with fee.

Sadoff Iron & Metal Company – Scrap Metals & Electronics.  Locations in Lincoln & Omaha.

For more options in Nebraska, click here.