UP electronic waste collection increases in 2025

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A total of 220 pounds of e-waste was collected either at permanent sites or collection events in the U.P. this year.

That is a 15% increase from last summer.

The Lake Superior Watershed Partnership says that increase is from the combination of public education and drop-off opportunities.

U.P. Elective Pay Ambassador Krystle Baecker says the LSWP has worked throughout the summer to bring pop-up collection sites to as many locations as possible.

“Throughout the summer, we’ll travel to different towns, trying to hit a wide range, and we’ll spend part of a day there where anyone that’s located in that area can come and drop off all their electronic waste,” Baecker says.

Steve Noble is the electronic recycling specialist at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

He says collection events are useful if you can’t get to a disposal site.

In rural areas like the U.P., that can be true for many.

“We help sponsor collection events across the U.P. This year, we’ve done six a year for the last several years working with Superior Watershed. Those go into areas that may not be currently serviced by a drop-off site,” Noble says.

And if you miss a collection event, you can still get rid of your e-waste from manufacturer mailback programs.

“Anything that people, like televisions, monitors, computers, printers, that type of thing, are covered electronic devices, and they can all be mailed back to the manufacturer. You can get details of their mail back program from the manufacturer’s website,” Noble says.

There are now 10 e-waste disposal locations across the U.P.

Courtesy: www.uppermichiganssource.com