It’s spring-cleaning time again, and Integrated Building Systems is here to help with our 13th annual Earth Day Electronics Recycling Drive!
This year’s event will take place at the Integrated Building Systems office (950 Michigan Avenue) from 8am to 2pm on Friday, April 25, rain or shine.
NEW THIS YEAR
Historically, this event has featured collections for unused and nonworking electronics, as well as paper for confidential shredding. This year, with the addition of another event partner, many other household items will be accepted as well.
This will include small kitchen appliances (coffee pots, blenders, etc.), toys, clothes, and even small furniture.
In short – have things cluttering your space that you would like to see recycled or donated? Load them up and drive them over for curbside drop off at this event!
KEEP OUR ENVIRONMENT CLEAN
This event started with Integrated Building Systems trying to responsibly dispose of old electronics for clients after new technology solutions were implemented.
Hazardous materials in e-waste, like lead and mercury, can leach out of landfills into groundwater. The batteries in electronic products also contain heavy metals that can leak into groundwater supplies once the batteries erode.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets regulations for how electronics can be responsibly recycled to avoid toxic waste. Columbus Micro Systems, the electronics recycler for this event, meets and exceeds these regulations. This fellow family-owned business also ensures that electronic waste will be recycled in compliance with EPA and R2 certified recycling standards.
Recycling your unwanted or nonworking electronics at our event and join Integrated Building Systems’ effort to keep our environment clean.
SHRED PAPER & DONATE OTHER ITEMS
This event has grown to include other collections for responsible recycling or donation!
Royal Document Destruction, the paper shredding partner, collects confidential documents for secure destruction. There is a limit of 5 banker boxes per car for drop-off for paper shredding – and make sure boxes are free of trash, batteries, plastic, and cardboard.
In previous years, kitchen appliances have not been accepted at this event, since they are not eligible for e-waste recycling. However, this year, with new event partner Two Men and a Junk Truck, many household goods will be accepted. They have partnerships with Volunteers of America and the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio and will donate good-condition items. Check the event page for a list of what will be accepted at this drive.
HOW THE EVENT WORKS
Recycle at this event from the comfort of your car!
Collect your items from work or home, then drive them over for curbside drop-off.
Drive north on Michigan Avenue toward First Avenue and follow the signs and flags.
Pull up to the first station, by the Integrated Building Systems parking lot. A volunteer will ask what items you have and direct you to the appropriate station. There is one line regardless of what items you have, you will just make different stops depending on your drop-off.
The first stop is e-waste, then paper shredding, then other household items. The first two stations are on Michigan Avenue, then you will turn right onto First Ave for the third station.* Volunteers will direct you!
When you get to the right stop STAY IN YOUR CAR. Event volunteers will unload it for you and collect any applicable fees.
After you drop off your items, park on First Avenue or surrounding streets and grab lunch from Schmidt’s Sausage Truck from 11am-1pm!
*Note: station location subject to change. Please follow directions on the day of the event.
There is no fee to recycle most items such as hard drives, laptops, keyboards, mice, cords, cables, and network devices. Ther are also no fees for paper shredding or donating other household items.
Some fees apply for CRT monitors and LCD TVs to cover the costs of processing hazardous material and excessive plastic. These can be paid by cash or check, and will be collected when the team unloads your vehicle.
View our event page for a list of what can and cannot be recycled as well as applicable fees.
E-WASTE RECYCLING FAQS
I’m concerned about data security on the devices I want to recycle. What is the process for data destruction?
Columbus Micro Systems is an R2v3 certified company. The R2v3 Standard provides specific guidelines for data sanitization using physical destruction and logical sanitization (data erasure) methods. All data is erased on the premises with security coverage.
Can I get a certificate of data destruction for the items I drop off at the recycling drive?
Certificates of destruction require a thorough documentation and processing of equipment, which is not possible to provide during this type of community drop-off event. Contact Columbus Micro Systems for more information.
Why are there recycling fees for some items, like $15 for LCD TVs?
Many parts of electronic waste can be recycled, such as metal and certain types of glass and plastic. Recycling fees help cover the disposal charges for parts that cannot be recycled, such as hazardous tubes from old televisions and computer monitors, non-recyclable plastic (which makes up the bulk of desktop printers, scanners, and faxes), and even the glass from CRT monitors.