E-Cycle Me

Our basement has become a repository for old, broken, and unneeded things, so we've been working on cleaning it and getting things out of there. Today we got rid of a couple of boxes of old electronics by e-cycling them.

Web Innovations & Technology Services (WITS) is a local organization that recycles and refurbishes electronics and computers, which they donate to low-income individuals. They also sell computers and peripherals at a reduced cost. They have a 0% landfill policy--anything they can't reuse is recycled appropriately. Although their office isn't particularly convenient for us, they have a monthly drop-off location in Chesterfield, a suburb not too far from our house, that is. That was our destination today.

The list of accepted items is wide-ranging. You can bring in computers, computer accessories, peripherals, computer programs, CD/DVDs, and all types of data storage. They'll take home electronics, appliances large and small, and electrical equipment. You can get rid of furnace and air conditioning equipment, lawn equipment, old motors, and any battery containing lead. Most items are accepted free, but there is a small suggested donation to cover the costs of recycling anything with a screen and appliances larger than a microwave.

Our boxes contained a combination of things. There were several broken items--a phone, a portable radio, an answering machine, a printer, and a DVD player. There were also a couple of obsolete software programs and a large handful of old burned CDs. The drop off location was well marked. We pulled into the parking lot, and immediately someone was there to take the boxes from the trunk. The whole exchange took less than five minutes.

Sadly, I suspect we haven't found the last of the electronics. At least now I know what to do with them.