Old electronics piling up? Idaho Falls event offers free safe disposal

IDAHO FALLS — Old computers, phones, televisions and batteries often clutter up homes and garages because people aren’t sure how to dispose of them safely.

Unlike ordinary household garbage, electronic devices should not be thrown away or sent to landfills because they contain materials that can harm the environment, groundwater and wildlife.

Idaho Falls–based E Cyclers of Idaho is filling an important niche in the community by helping residents responsibly dispose of unwanted electronics safely.

The company is partnering with Idaho National Laboratory to host the second annual “Keep Idaho Beautiful” campaign, a free community e-waste collection event. The event will take place Saturday, Feb. 21, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Idaho Falls Public Library.

“As part of last year’s campaign, we hosted 11 monthly collection sites, including Idaho State University, the Idaho Falls Public Library and Ammon City Hall,” said Susie Cluff, business director and marketing manager. “Through those events, we collected and recycled more than 46,000 pounds of electronic waste that otherwise could have ended up in landfills or waterways.”

“An additional 111,000 pounds was dropped off by the community at our shop and at our Idaho Falls transfer station trailer,” she said.

This year, in partnership with the INL, E Cyclers of Idaho will expand the campaign to include potentially bimonthly free community electronic waste drop-off and recycling events at the Rexburg transfer station, the College of Eastern Idaho, ISU, the Fort Hall transfer station, and the City of Idaho Falls Library.

Why proper disposal matters

Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams worldwide. Many devices contain hazardous substances — including mercury, lead and cadmium — that can contaminate soil and groundwater if sent to landfills.

Recycling electronics also conserves valuable materials. Items such as smartphones and computers contain recoverable metals including gold, silver, cobalt, lithium, graphite and copper, which can be reused in new products and reduce reliance on imported resources.

There are also privacy concerns. Old devices may still contain sensitive personal or business information.

E Cyclers of Idaho offers certified secure data destruction, ensuring that information stored on hard drives and other media is permanently removed to help prevent identity theft.

What items are accepted

The event will accept most small electronic devices, whether working or not, including:

• Computers, monitors, televisions, cellphones, tablets and gaming systems
• Toner cartridges, scanners, fax machines and UPS units
• Electronic cigarettes and circuit boards
• Batteries and networking equipment such as routers, modems and Wi-Fi boosters
• Virtually anything that uses batteries or plugs into a wall outlet

“Devices are disassembled into their parts and processed for use as raw materials in new products. Non-renewable materials such as lead, cadmium, mercury, lithium, manganese, nickel, and zinc can be recycled an infinite number of times and have real commercial value,” Cluff explained.

Glass, copper, plastics, metals, and precious metals are sent through further processing for eventual reuse. Depending on the type, plastic can be made into shipping pallets or e-wood for outdoor furniture or play equipment.

Manufacturers can extract lithium from old phones and make old batteries into new batteries. Printer toner can be used as an additive in recycled road surfaces, and the ink can be reused as 100% recycled ink.

Items not accepted at the event include light bulbs and large appliances that are difficult to carry, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, ovens and treadmills.

Those larger items — excluding light bulbs — can instead be dropped off at the company’s warehouse at 1976 N. Yellowstone Highway in Idaho Falls, near Blast Off. The facility offers 24-hour drop-off bins, including a secure container for devices that contain personal data.

About E Cyclers of Idaho

E Cyclers of Idaho was founded in 2008 by Mark Jeffs, whose passion for tinkering with computers and electronics led him to create a business focused on responsible recycling and customer service.

After Jeffs passed away in the summer of 2021, the company remained in the family. His wife chose not to close the business and instead sold it to Jeffs’ nephew, Dan Forbush, who had previously worked for him beginning in 2013.

Today, the company provides a wide range of services, including electronic recycling, secure data destruction, equipment removal, IT buyback programs, computer repair and refurbishment, and the sale of refurbished electronics.

“We feel that what we are doing is essential to our community. Many others have expressed the same sentiment,” Cluff said. “We love getting our message out to help support the local community and ensure the public knows we are here. We are looking forward to bringing our services further into the mainstream.”

For more information follow E Cyclers of Idaho on Facebook or at ecyclersofidaho.com.