by Tony Gonzalez
July 9, 2010 10:38 PM
If you have an old Kaypro, hang onto it -- it’s part of computer history. Pack it carefully and put it into your self storage unit. But if you have computer or electronic equipment to get rid of that is not quite so old, you may want to take it to your local self storage facility for a different reason -- to recycle it. Many self storage facilities are beginning to offer e-waste recycling -- recycling of electronic waste. Items that can be dropped off at e-waste collection centers include computers (both laptop and desktop), monitors, cell phones, printers, camcorders, CD/DVD/cassette players, fax machines, photocopiers, radios, stereos, landline telephones, VCRs, televisions, batteries and power packs, etc.
According to a 2007 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study, about 2.25 million tons of e-waste in the United States is ready for reuse or recycling. But in 2007, only about 18 percent of e-waste was being recycled, while the rest was being tossed into landfills. To find an e-waste recycling site, nationwide, you can visit Earth911.com, or if you are interested in dropping off e-waste at a self storage facility in Arizona, California, Florida or Nevada, consider the facilities listed below (unfortunately, this list is not comprehensive--please write to us if you know of other self storage facilities offering e-waste recycling):
Arizona
Arizona’s Department of Environmental Quality maintains a list of e-waste drop-off sites, with an interactive map.
- Best Choice Self Storage offers two free drop-off locations in Yoruba City. (Ten percent will be donated back to local schools.)
- Dollar Self Storage is offering a drop-off site in Phoenix and one in Tucson. (Each will benefit St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance.) In addition, Dollar has recently added a drop-off site in Apache Junction.
California
In California, e-waste recycling locations can be easily found through the GREENspot DROPoff network, or through CalRecycle, a website maintained by the state of California, which keeps an updated list of drop-off locations and a map. The following self storage facilities offer e-waste recycling in California:
- A-1 Self Storage is offering 13 drop-off sites in San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Orange County and the Bay Area.
- All American Self Storage, Palmdale
- Allsize Self Storage, San Clemente
- Apatite Self Storage, Victorville
- Arcadio 210 Self Storage, Arcadia
- Arovista Self Storage, Brea
- Arrowhead Self Storage, Rimforest
- Beaumont Self Storage, Beaumont
- Butterfield Ranch Self Storage, Temecula
- Cal Storage, Merced
- Cochrane Storage, Morgan Hill
- Date Palm Storage, Cathedral City
- Desert Gateway Self Storage, Palm Desert
- Dollar Self Storage is offering a drop-off site in Corona (to benefit the Corona Public Library) and one in Santa Fe Springs (to benefit Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church).
- El Monte Store It Now, El Monte
- E-Street Self Storage, San Bernardino
- Extra Space Storage is offering 12 drop-off sites in San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Bernardino County.
- Foothill Mini Storage, Arcadia
- Great American Mini Storage, Palm Desert
- Highland Self Storage, San Bernardino
- Highway 79 Super Storage, Temecula
- I-5 Storage, Tustin
- Instorage is offering at least five drop-off locations, in Costa Mesa, Rancho Palos Verdes, Stanton, Torrance, and Yorba Linda.
- Jefferson St. Self Storage, Murrieta
- Marinship Self Storage, Sausalito
- Monterey Palms Self Storage, Thousand Palms
- Murrieta Springs Storage, Murrieta
- Outback Self Storage, Orange
- Paramount Carson RV & Self Storage, Lakewood
- Riverside Self Storage, Riverside
- San Marcos Self Storage, San Marcos
- Self Storage Lake Forest, Lake Forest
- Stoney Creek Self Storage, Highland
- Storage Solutions is offering several drop-off locations, in Fontana, Irvine, Bellflower, Lake Elsinore, Bloomington, Cerritos, Long Beach, Paramount, Placentia, Claremont, San Dimas, Santa Maria, Hesperia, and Victorville.
- Studebaker Self Storage, Long Beach
- Sun City Mini Storage, Sun City
- Townsend Self Storage, Santa Ana
- Tri City Self Storage, Riverside
- Wells Cargo Self Storage offers at least three drop-off locations, in Orange, Camarillo, and West Covina.
- Western States Self Storage, Moreno Valley
Florida
In Florida, e-waste recycling is free. Not only is it free, but in Florida, as in most states, e-waste recycling is mandatory. It is illegal to dispose of e-waste by throwing it in the trash. Florida E-Waste Recycling will pick up computers and electronics anywhere in Florida within the next business day after a request is made -- but sometimes it is easier to drop electronics off if you are heading to a drop-off location, such as a self storage facility, if a trip to your self storage list is on your errand list anyway. The following self storage facilities have recently begun to offer e-waste drop-off on-site:
- Budget Self Storage is offering 14 drop-off sites in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Valrico, Bradenton, and Sarasota.
- Florida’s Storage Solution is offering 13 drop-off sites in Trinity, Odessa, Tampa, Largo, Land O’Lakes, Spring Hill, Winter Haven, Bartow, Brandon, Brandenton, Sarasota, and Dundee, and hopes to continue adding more e-waste drop-off sites.
- Hide-Away Storage Services, St. Petersburg
- Mile Stretch Self Storage, Holiday
- Security Self Storage, Tampa
Florida E-Waste Recycling has plotted the drop-off locations on a map at its website.
Nevada
For more information about recycling e-waste in Nevada, check the website of the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Waste Management.
Sources used:
“A-1 Self Storage offers free e-waste recycling.” Inside Self-Storage. Feb. 19, 2010.
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
Earth 911.
CalRecycle. “Electronic Product Management Directory.”
Environmental Protection Agency. “Statistics on the management of used and end-of-life electronics.”
“Extra Space Storage offers e-waste recycling at 12 southern California locations.” Inside Self-Storage. July 8, 2010.
Florida E-Waste Recyling.
Florida E-Waste Recycling. “Greensite drop off locations.”
“Florida self storage operators join GreenSite e-waste recycling program.” Inside Self-Storage. July 6, 2010.
“More locations added to Florida E-waste Recycling’s drop-off sites.” The Daily Loaf. July 6, 2010.
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Waste Management.
Self-Storage Talk. “Do you recycle at your facility?”
“Storage Solutions offers free e-waste recycling.” Inside Self-Storage. March 17, 2010.
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