Electronic waste, or e-waste, are consumer and business electronics that are at or near the end of their useful life. Items considered e-waste are items that can be plugged in to an electrical outlet, or contains circuit boards or chips. These items can sometimes contain heavy metals that are dangerous to the environment. A majority of e-waste has inherent value and may be reused, refurbished, or recycled, which reduces the actual waste that ends up in a landfill. E-waste should not be disposed of in the trash or recycling bins.
Collection
PSU collects e-waste to a centralized location, which is then hauled by a third-party electronic recycler.
PSU faculty and staff may request removal of e-waste by submitting a work request. Please be sure to include a clear description of the item, its location, and any other pertinent information. You may be contacted for more information prior to pick-up.
Examples
Some examples of e-waste that may be collected for recycling include, but are not limited to:
- TVs, computer monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, cables, circuit boards
- Phones, calculators, answering machines, cameras
- DVD players, MP3 and CD players
- Lamps, clocks, flashlights, radios
- Kitchen equipment (toasters, coffee makers, microwaves)
- Laboratory equipment (hot plates, microscopes, calorimeters)