Residents of Michigan鈥檚 Upper Peninsula have more options for recycling their old electronics. That鈥檚 because of Michigan鈥檚 Electronic Waste Take-Back Program. The state program has opened nine more permanent drop-off locations for electronic waste since 2021, more than doubling the number of facilities in the U.P. The program makes sure Michiganders have access to e-waste recycling that meets state regulations.
E-waste recycling facilities have been in the Lower Peninsula for years, but the majority are in the southern part of the state. No e-waste is recycled in the U.P. Contractors pick it up from drop-off stations or events and transport it to recycling facilities in Wisconsin or the Lower Peninsula.
Old and unwanted electronics can leach harmful chemicals into the soil and water at landfills. They also contain valuable materials that can be reused, said Steve Noble, a recycling specialist at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. 鈥淲e’re missing the opportunity to reuse, especially, the precious metals that are in the circuit boards and the metal parts that are in most electronics,鈥� he said. Noble runs the e-waste program and works with local stakeholders in the U.P. to provide more options for recycling e-waste.”