Drop-off opportunities to recycle electronic waste in rural areas are few and far between.
So, e-waste tends to pile up in people’s cupboards and basements. The state is now offering grants to create a network of permanent collection sites for old electronics.
A “milk run” is a term in the shipping industry that refers to a continuous route with multiple stops. It’s what the state hopes to set up across Michigan for e-waste collection in rural areas.
Steve Noble is an electronics recycling specialist with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. He said electronics are more difficult to recycle, and rural areas often lack the funding to manage e-waste.
“Take an old cathode ray tube television: you got the leaded glass in there, you got plastic, you've got metals," Noble said. "So, it's not as simple as just throwing it in a bin and sending it to a municipal recycling facility to be sorted out.”
Noble said a few collection sites have already been set up on the east and west sides of the state.
The state is offering $250,000 in grants for local governments, nonprofits, and universities to step up e-waste collection efforts. The deadline for grant applications is May 12.
Recycling electronics keeps harmful toxins out of water, reduces the need of mining for precious metals, and supports a circular economy. But less than 20 percent of all electronic waste is recycled.
In 2020, the Michigan Electronic Waste Takeback program helped recycle nearly 12 million pounds of e-waste.
