Here's How to Recycle Your Electronics

The DeKalb County Sanitation Division, in conjunction with Keep DeKalb Beautiful and Atlanta Recycling Solutions, has reached a milestone in its ongoing green initiatives. To date, the county has prevented more than one million pounds of recyclable electronic scrap from entering the landfill. 

The U.S. EPA encourages recycling of “e-scrap” or electronic scrap as a means to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. Electronic scrap contains toxic materials such as mercury, lithium ion rechargeable batteries, lead or cadmium. These materials cause harm to the environment if they are mismanaged or disposed of in improperly lined landfills. Furthermore, electronic scrap should not be considered “waste” in the sense that useful materials such as glass, copper, aluminum, plastic and other components can often be extracted and reused.

The county continues to encourage residents to drop off old electronic items at either of the following two drop-off collection sites:

• DeKalb County Sanitation Division
  3643 Camp Circle, Decatur, GA 30032
  Hours: Mon - Fri, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  Telephone: (404) 371-2654

• DeKalb County Seminole Road Landfill
  4203 Clevemont Road, Ellenwood, GA 30294
  Hours: Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.;  Sat, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  Telephone: (404) 244-4842

The following items are accepted: 

• Stereos                 
• Microwaves
• Computer CPUs
• Copiers
• Computer and  mouse
• Electronic panels
• Fax machines
• Cameras
• Cell phones
• Batteries
• Circuit boards
• Projectors
• Telephones
• Disk drives
• CD players
• Modems
• Speakers
• UBS battery backups
• Monitors
• Printers
• Typewriters
• CD-ROMs
• Floppy drives
• Test and networking equipment
• Cables
• Keyboards
• VCRs
• Portable radios
• Laptops
• Video machines
• CB radios

The following items are not accepted:

• Televisions, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washers and dryers, humidifiers/dehumidifiers, freezers and gas powered equipment.  

For more information, residents can call the DeKalb Sanitation Division at 404-294-2900 or visit www.dekalbrecycles.com.

This article was prepared by the county and edited for publication.