Tech Takeback Day Helps NYC Recycle E-Waste, Courtesy Of Dell, Uber, & Goodwill

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This Saturday, residents of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens can have their e-waste picked up for free and recycled responsibly, thanks to the Dell Reconnect program’s Tech Takeback Day.

NYC-tech-takebackThe speed at which we churn through our gadgets and electronic tools these days, whether its due to the constant pressure to always upgrade to the newest device, or due to the inability of most of us to fix our own gizmos (in part because of they way they’re built), is only getting faster, and it’s creating quite an environmental boondoggle. After all, technology should be could be used as a pathway to increased efficiency and productivity, which may lead to a more sustainable world, yet the more gadgets we have, the more raw materials and energy we need, and we still end up with yet more ‘waste’ that has to be dealt with.

According to a report (PDF) from United Nations University, The Global E-Waste Monitor 2014, we produced some 41.8 million metric tonnes of e-waste globally in 2014, and less than one sixth of it ended up being properly recycled, the rest of it ending up in landfills and polluting water sources with a variety of potentially toxic chemicals. But thanks to the efforts of a number of different organizations, some of which are tech companies such as Dell, e-waste recycling dropoffs and technology ‘takeback’ days such as this upcoming one are helping to make e-cycling much more accessible.

On Saturday, November 14th 2015, between 10am and 4pm EST, New Yorkers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens can use the Uber app to request a free on-demand pickup of e-waste from their home or office, after which an Uber driver will collect the used electronics and deliver them to a Goodwill location for recycling. During the hours of the event, using the promo code TECHTAKEBACK through the Uber app will offer residents a no-charge pickup of technology items for the program, which could make recycling e-waste in NYC as painless as a couple of quick clicks on a smartphone.

And a little star power can’t hurt, either, as the event materials state that Adrian Grenier will “recycle his used technology and Uber around New York” during the day, “to thank people for responsibly disposing of their computers.”

“We all need to do our part to keep our environment and homes clean and healthy. The NYC Tech Takeback makes electronics recycling easier and helps New Yorkers to rid their homes of dusty old tech while doing something good for our planet. Why wouldn’t you want to participate?” – Adrian Grenier, actor, producer, native New Yorker, and Dell Social Good Advocate

According to Dell, since 2013 the company has recycled about 4.2 million pounds of e-waste plastics back into new Dell products, with these closed-loop plastics being used in 31 models of monitors, and three desktop systems, all available globally. In addition, Dell has also integrated more than 21.9 million pounds of post-consumer recycled plastics into its products, helping to reduce the reliance on virgin materials and keep these plastics out of landfills. The Dell Reconnect program works in partnership with more than 2000 Goodwill locations across the country, which collect the e-waste items for recycling or reuse, and which then benefits from the donations of the proceeds of all reusable or refurbishable devices through the program.


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Derek Markham

Derek lives in southwestern New Mexico and digs bicycles, simple living, fungi, organic gardening, sustainable lifestyle design, bouldering, and permaculture. He loves fresh roasted chiles, peanut butter on everything, and buckets of coffee.

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