The holiday season often brings new gifts and additional electronics, as new items become available and old ones are upgraded. It’s not the best environmental practice, but if you do have items to get rid of, try reusing them. Pass personal items on to friends and family members for continued use. Many charities also will take functioning items for others to use.
If those options don’t work, please recycle. You can hold on to electronic items to recycle during Earth Week, but if you’d like to get rid of them more quickly, consider the resources below, including the new “Greener Gadget” webpage provided by the Consumer Technology Association. We have lots of choices from Omaha, Lincoln and Iowa. Not all are free and some restrictions exist, so check with the vendor first.
These are not endorsements — use at your own risk.
- GreenerGadgets.org When you type in your zip code, potential eCycling locations will be provided. Use the “more info” button below each to see what they accept.
- Common e-cyclers include BestBuy, Staples and the Salvation Army.
- Scrap Central, 2728 N. 85th St., Omaha 402-393-6620. Accepting LCD monitors, printers, mice, keyboards at no charge; purchases computer towers, laptops, cell phones, tablets, computer wires/cables, servers and computer boards and destroys information. Car batteries and scrap vehicles also are accepted. Cannot accept televisions or CRT monitors. During holiday season they accept decorative lights. Proceeds from recycling go to local charities.
- Goodwill Stores: Home computers and electronics. All information will be safely wiped clean, and computer equipment will be recycled or resold. No TVs or microwaves accepted.
- Midwest Electronic Recycling: 4366 S. 87th St., Omaha, 402-201-2270.
- DataShield Corporation, 1528 N. 16th St., Omaha, 402-898-5000.
- PC Recycling, 7754 “I” Plaza, Omaha, 402-763-8767.
- Cross Training Center, 5030 N. 72nd St., Omaha, 402-590-2100. Automobiles, electronics and appliances (anything with a battery or a plug, large or small, working or not).
- CTI Electronics, 204 E. Erie Street, Missouri Valley, Iowa, 712-642-2030. Takes any electronic that has a plug or uses a battery. Provides hard-drive destruction with documentation. Batteries, toner and ink cartridges, CRT TVs and monitors accepted with fee.
- Nebraska Recycles/Systems Solutions, 17 Gateway Mall, Lincoln, 402-405-2365. Computers, with onsite hard-drive destruction; virtually all electronics, CRT monitors and TVs accepted with fee.
- Sadoff Iron & Metal Company, locations in Lincoln and Omaha. Scrap metals and electronics.
For more options in Nebraska, click here.