Did you receive a new big screen television, computer or other electronic device this holiday? Or have you finally replaced that eight-track player or upgraded that ancient Atari? Don’t store those outdated electronics in your garage or attic! Instead, recycle them at the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County.
Accepted items include:
- Audio/visual equipment: VCRs, stereos, etc.
- Cell phones and rechargeable batteries
- Computer CPUs and laptops
- Computer monitors
- Computer accessories: keyboards, mouse devices, printers, scanners, etc.
- Televisions
- Telecommunications equipment: phones, fax machines, etc.
- Holiday lights
Palm Beach County Residents can bring all of these electronic items to any of seven Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County Home Chemical and Recycling Centers:
- Jupiter
North County Transfer Station
14185 Military Trail (SWA Road) in Jupiter
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. - West Palm Beach
Home Chemical and Recycling Center
6161 N. Jog Road in West Palm Beach
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Belle Glade
Glades Regional Transfer Station
1701 State Road 15 in Belle Glade
Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Royal Palm Beach
West Central Transfer Station
9743 Weisman Way in Royal Palm Beach
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Lantana
Central County Transfer Station
1810 Lantana Road in Lantana
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Delray Beach – West
Southwest County Transfer Station
13400 South State Road 7 in Delray Beach
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Delray Beach – East
South County Transfer Station
1901 SW 4th Ave. in Delray Beach
Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Commercial quantity electronics may require special disposal. Call 561-687-1100 for details on recycling electronics from your business.
Collected items are sorted by SWA staff and hauled away by a private contractor. Any useful components are recovered and reused when possible. Everything else is shredded, sorted by type and each material – plastics, metals and glass – is recycled into new products.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.gov/smm-electronics/basic-information-about-electronics-stewardship#01):
- Americans generated 3.36 million tons of obsolete electronic products in 2014.
- Recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by 3,657 U.S. homes in a year.
- One metric ton of circuit boards can contain 40 to 800 times the amount of gold and 30 to 40 times the amount of copper mined from one metric ton of ore in the United States.
By recycling electronics, you can help protect the health of your community, family and environment; reduce the pollution created by manufacturing new products; and reduce the energy needed to make those new products.
Not a bad encore for an old eight-track player. For more information on electronics recycling, go to SWA.org/Electronics or call 561-687-1100.
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