Miscellaneous Electronic Recycling in Minnesota: Important Information You Need to Know

Did you know that Americans own around 3 billion electronic devices? And none of these electronics last forever. What do you do with your old devices when they quit working or a newer model becomes available and you want to upgrade? Not only do end-of-life electronics take up space in landfills and many hold sensitive data, but they also contain toxic chemicals and heavy metals—elements we don’t want leaching into our clean air or our beautiful lakes and streams.

Which electronics must be recycled by Minnesota law? Which electronics can and should be recycled? What does that process look like?

Miscellaneous electronic recycling in Minnesota: the details

In the land of 10,000 lakes, all residential televisions, computers, printers, monitors and more must be recycled. Owners are also responsible for recycling electronics that contain mercury or require rechargeable batteries.

When you’re trying to determine what can go in the trash and what should be recycled, ask yourself, Does this device have a circuit board? Items that contain circuit boards should never be put in the trash. In addition to TVs and computer monitors, this includes cell phones, laptops and desktops, DVD and Blu-Ray players, and fax machines.

When you recycle these items, precious metals can be harvested, toxic substances can be removed and discarded safely and functional components can be set aside for reuse in tomorrow’s electronic devices. The recycling process helps you minimize your carbon footprint.

Recycle your miscellaneous electronics with Tech Dump!

At Tech Dump, we take the guesswork out of the process. If you have miscellaneous electronics you want to get rid of, we take nearly everything with a cable, cord or battery.

This includes computers and computer peripherals, phones, fax machines, printers and copiers, TVs and monitors, entertainment and gaming consoles, DVD players and VCRs, household appliances and batteries. We even recycle miscellaneous items such as Christmas lights, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and microwaves.

Keep in mind that, because children’s toys are becoming increasingly techy and are often connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), they also must be disposed of properly and Tech Dump can help.

Your security is always our priority

We recognize that when you trust us with certain end-of-life electronics, you’re also trusting us with your sensitive data. Rest assured that we always thoroughly and properly destroy your hard drives so your data can’t be leaked and create liability issues for you or your organization. And now that TVs and other smart devices also have your personal information saved, we ensure that data is destroyed as well.

Reuse before recycling

Tech Dump also promotes environmental stewardship and works hard to prioritize reuse through refurbishment before recycling. That’s because, when electronics get a new life, it reduces the amount of scrap put in landfills. At the same time, refurbishing older electronics makes them more affordable and accessible. That’s why we sell refurbished electronics through our partner store, Tech Discounts.

We’re proudly R2-certified which means we undergo rigorous annual third-party audits to assure that your data is secure and your materials are handled in an environmentally responsible manner.

If you have any questions about miscellaneous electronic recycling, contact us at 763.432.3117. Getting rid of end-of-life electronics shouldn’t be stressful. We’re here to help!