Electronics recycling: The Vermont way

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world, but, sadly, worldwide less than twenty percent is professionally collected and recycled. Landfill growth, loss of valuable minerals, environmental contamination, and unsafe labor practices are all associated problems.

When e-waste is disposed of improperly or recycled using unsound activities, it releases up to one thousand different chemical substances and dangerous neurotoxins into the environment. Electronic waste only accounts for 2% of our landfills but is 70% of our total toxic waste production.

Yet when e-waste is managed well, it recovers valuable materials, decreases pollution, and provides a circular economy. Recycling e-waste saves significant energy, reduces the need for virgin mining, and creates many new jobs. The US discards hundreds of millions of electronic devices every year, most of which were not made here. But they can be unmade here.

Fortunately, Vermont has a strong electronic waste recycling program called E-Cycles, backed by law, and funded by electronics manufacturers. Nearly all electronics are banned from the landfill and must be properly recycled.

All Vermont E-Cycles Program recyclers must hold EPA-recognized R2 (Responsible Recycling) and e-Stewards certification, having passed an independent audit for strict environmental and worker safety.

E-waste across Vermont is dropped off at registered E-Cycles collection sites and then transported to recyclers who can reuse, sort, and dismantle according to the market value and the hazardous nature of the component materials. For example, the Vermont E-Cycles Program states that cathode ray tubes are used to produce frit for tiles and signage in Virginia. Plastic, gold, lead, steel, aluminum, and other metals can be separated out in this process. While most E-Cycles recyclers are in the United States, some metal refining facilities are located abroad.

Bennington County has several collection sites signed up with the Vermont E-Cycles Program: town transfer stations, Goodwill, and Comprehensive Computing. Comprehensive Computing offers additional data destruction services and pulls items for repair and reuse, further reducing e-waste and keeping valuable resources local.

E-waste can be likewise lessened by choosing refurbished electronics, donating or selling used equipment, repairing instead of replacing, recycling responsibly, and supporting sustainable manufacturing and right to repair laws.

Vermont is known for its strong environmental commitment, so it is no surprise that we are a leader in e-waste recycling. Thanks to our proactive laws, accessible programs, and strong participation, last year, Vermont led the country in per capita collections of covered electronics. The Vermont E-Cycles Program collected 2.44 million pounds of electronic waste in 2025. Let’s keep up the great work, clean out our clutter, and deliver our old televisions, computers, printers, phones, and more, safely into the hands of Vermont E-Cycle collectors so they can create new life.

Courtesy: www.benningtonbanner.com