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This program is for City of Madison residents and property owners only.

Businesses may not use the Streets Division's electronics recycling.

If you do not live in Madison, or if the electronic item was used exclusively for a business, consult your local government or find a registered private electronic recycler in your area.

Televisions, Computers, Laptops, and monitors fees

The Streets Division will not charge a recycling fee for televisions, computers, laptops, and monitors for 2024.

This applies to homeowners who pay the Resource Recovery Special Charge and for those who do not.

As a reminder, the City of Madison cannot accept these items from businesses according to state law.

These items will be accepted at no cost from Madison residents at the Streets Division drop-off sites.

This is a temporary pause in charging the fees that is expected to last through 2024.

Want to know why the fees have been paused for 2023 and 2024?  Click here.

It is unclear if this will extend into 2025.

 

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How to Recycle Electronics

For Madison residents, electronics must be taken to a drop-off site. 

Place the items into a cardboard box within the electronics recycling area.

Or they may also choose a different private electronic recycler.

Do not place electronic items at the curb for recycling. Do not place electronics in your green recycling cart, either.

 

television recycling

Do not place televisions at the curb for collection.  

Televisions must be taken to a Streets Division drop-off site for recycling.

Televisions are accepted at no charge.  This fee stopped on February 20, 2023 and televisions will be accepted at the drop-off sites at no charge for the remainder of 2024.  This

If you place a television at the curb, it will be subject to removal by city staff. If a non-exempt television is collected by city staff, property owners will be assessed a $30 administrative fee per television collected. Broken televisions will be immediately removed as they pose a safety hazard. The property owner will be assessed the administrative fee for each broken television collected.

 

Exemptions: Large console TVs and large projection screen TVs  are different. Contact the Streets Division office if you have one of these television types to discuss your options.

 

computer monitor, laptop, or computer CPU recycling

Monitors, laptops, and computers will not be collected at the curb.

They must be taken to a Streets Division drop-off site for recycling.

These are accepted at no charge. The fee stopped on February 20, 2023 , and these items will be accepted at no charge for the remainder of 2024.

If you place a monitor, computer, or laptop at the curb it will be subject to removal by city staff. If one of these items is removed, the property owners will be assessed a $30 administrative fee per unit. Broken units found at the curb are subject to immediate removal as they pose a safety hazard. The property owner will be assessed the administrative fee for each broken unit removed.

 

ELECTRONICS BANNED FROM THE LANDFILL

Some electronics are banned from the landfill and must be brought to a drop-off site or another vendor for recycling.

A list of items banned from landfill disposal can be found on the Wisconsin DNR e-cycle website (click on the "What to Recycle" tab) or this DNR-produced flier, and also listed below.  (For a webpage about everything banned from landfills in Wisconsin, go to this DNR website)

The list of electronics that must be recycled and are banned from the landfill include:

  • Cell phones & smart phones
  • Computers (desktops, laptops, net books, tablets, etc)
  • Computer peripherals (this is any item that is exclusively used with a consumer computer)
    • Keyboards
    • Computer monitors
    • Mice
    • Scanners
    • Modems
    • Routers
    • Web cameras, flash drives, external hard drives, etc.
  • Digital video players/recorders
  • DVD players
  • Blu-ray players
  • E-readers
  • Fax machines
  • Printers
    • Desktop printers
    • Fax/scan/copy printers
    • 3-D printers
  • Televisions
  • Telephones with video displays
  • VCRs

Not banned from landfills, but should very much be recycled:

  • Gaming systems
    • Gaming accessories (controllers, headphones, etc.)
    • Handheld gaming devices
  • Cell phone accessories
    • Wireless headphones, selfie sticks, gimbals, etc.

 

other recyclable electronics

These electronics should be brought to the drop-off site for recycling.

If it has a plug or it runs on battery, there's a good chance it can be recycled with the electronics.

Contact us if you have other questions about what we can and cannot accepted.

Here is a partial list of all of the various gizmos we can take.

These items are accepted free of charge.

  • Gaming systems
    • Gaming accessories (controllers, headphones, cartridges, etc.)
    • Handheld gaming devices
  • Cell phone accessories
    • Wireless headphones, selfie sticks, gimbals, etc.
  • MP3 players
  • Cables & cords
  • Stereos
  • Stereo components
  • Floppy discs
  • Carbon monoxide detectors
    • (Note: We cannot recycle smoke detectors. Place smoke detectors in your tan refuse cart, or, if possible, mail them back to the manufacturer)
  • Holiday / Christmas lights
  • Extension cords
  • Land line telephones
  • Printer cartridges
  • Miscellaneous small appliances (electronic scales, coffee makers, box fans, etc.)
  • Cameras
  • Vacuums
  • Cash registers
  • Hair dryers, curling irons, etc.

 

CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays

These items are acceptable in the drop-off sites and they are sent for data destruction, but not recycled.

 

Who recycles the electronics?


All material collected in our program is dismantled here in Wisconsin. The company currently contracted with the Streets Division to recycle electronics collected at the drop-off sites is Universal Recycling Technologies.

why were the fees for televisions, computers, laptops, and monitors stopped?

The City of Madison contracts with Universal Recycling Technologies (URT) to accept and recycle electronics collected at Streets Division drop-off sites.  Fees are charged by the City to allow the City to recover its costs to provide this service. 

In a separate agreement with URT, Samsung has agreed to cover the costs for electronics recycling for 2023 and 2024. 

This means that the City will incur no electronics recycling costs in 2023 and 2024.  

And, therefore, the Streets Division has been able to stop charging the recycling fee temporarily for recycling televisions, computers, laptops, and monitors that had been used to offset the City’s electronics recycling costs.

 

what's the process for recycling electronics?

Check out this video from the Wisconsin DNR that shows some of the electronics recycling process at a facility in Wisconsin.  This is not the same facility that accepts the electronics collected at the Streets Division, but the process is similar.

 

other local Recycling Options

  • Cascade Asset Management  (1-888-222-8399)

Accepts many different electronics for recycling. .

  • Goodwill (608-246-3140)

Accepts computers, monitors, and printers at their donations centers. Call the stores for details.

  • File 13 E-Waste Solutions, LLC

Accepts electronics, some for a fee.  They provide commercial collection for a charge as well.  Contact store for details and pricing.

  • Best Buy

Accepts many electronics, some for a fee. Call the store for details and restrictions.

  • Madison Recycling Center (operated by Waste Management)

Accepts certain electronics. Contact them for pricing details.

  • Resource Solutions

Accepts many electronics for a fee. Contact them for details.

Also, you can check the Wisconsin DNR website to find other reputable electronics recycler options.

Donation options?

Most organizations will not accept old computers or televisions or other out-dated technology.

Please check with the organization where you would like to donate your items before loading your vehicle.

 

 

QUESTIONS?

E-mail: Streets or call (608) 266-4681 for Streets West or (608) 246-4532 for Streets East.