Thanks to our increasingly digital lives, planned obsolescence, and the availability of low-cost electronics, e-waste is among the fastest-growing waste streams across the US. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, Americans now own an average of 24 devices per household, including devices such as cell phones, laptops and monitors, and game consoles.
Despite our growing awareness of how used electronics impact the planet, when these devices come to the end of their useful lives, many are sent to landfill. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 2.4 million tons of e-waste are sent to landfill every year across the country, and as the fourth largest metropolitan area in the US, Dallas-Fort Worth contributes a significant percentage of this waste.
Properly recycling electronics, or disposing of them responsibly, is incredibly important as many devices contain harmful chemicals. If these end up in landfill, they can leach into the ground and cause serious environmental issues. The good news is, thanks to recently introduced environmental laws and the increase in recycling initiatives across Texas, recycling electronic equipment in the city of Dallas and Fort Worth is relatively easy.
Understanding how to recycle electronics in Fort Worth and Dallas will help you minimize the e-waste generated by you or your business and allow you to contribute to a cleaner and healthier local and national environment. To help you find a drop-off point or most suitable recycling program in your area, we’ve put together a guide on how to recycle old electronics in the City of Dallas and the wider Metroplex area.
What e-waste can be recycled in Dallas?
Dallas has excellent electronic waste recycling services, with facilities found across the city and the state of Texas. Individuals and businesses are able to recycle a large number of products, with drop-off sites located conveniently regardless of your location. Among the items accepted for electronics recycling by the City of Dallas are:
- Computer monitors
- CRT television sets
- Office phones
- Fax machines
- Camcorders
- Kitchen electronics
- Speakers
- Radios
- Cameras
- CD players
- Console televisions
- Laptops
- Microwaves
- Games consoles
- Flat-screen TVs
In fact, almost all electronics that are designed for consumer use can be recycled in the city. You will simply need to check with your local recycler before you travel with your specific item. Additionally, you can find a full list of e-waste accepted in your local area on the Dallas City Hall website.
Why should I recycle electronics in Dallas?
There are a lot of important reasons to recycle electronics in Dallas, TX. For a start, properly disposing of your old computers, TVs and devices helps to protect the environment. Electronics often contain harmful substances like arsenic, lead, and cadmium, and if these minerals get into the ground, they can enter the water supply and cause harm to plant, animal, and human life in the local area.
Source: rts.com
Recycling old electronics protects the environment and ensures that these dangerous chemicals don’t get into the earth. It also helps to minimize the amount of waste that ends up in landfill in the City of Dallas.
Another good reason to recycle e-waste in Dallas is to increase data security and prevent sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands. Data can be harvested from computers, hard drives, smartphones, and other digital devices that are left in landfill. However, if you take your electronics to a drop-off point that is e-Steward certified, any information stored will go through a data destruction process.
Last but not least, it’s important to recycle your electronics because it’s against the law not to. Texas was one of the first states to force electronics manufacturers to take responsibility for their used products. In 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a law that required computer manufacturers to begin computer recycling takeback programs or ensure old computers were reused. In 2011, the state added television manufacturers to legislation, and it’s hoped that more electronic items will be added as EPR laws continue to develop.
Where can I recycle electronics in Dallas?
If you live in the City of Dallas, recycling electronics is easy, with a choice of drop-off locations dotted around the area. The four main e-waste recycling points in Dallas are:
- Customer Convenience Recycling Center
- at McCommas Bluff Landfill
Monday – Friday 5 a.m. – 8 p.m.,
Saturday 6 a.m. – 4 p.m. - 5100 Youngblood Road
- 214-670-0977
- Northeast (Fair Oaks) Transfer Station
- Wednesday or Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
7677 Fair Oaks Avenue
214-670-6126
- Northwest (Bachman) Transfer Station
- Monday – Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
9500 Harry Hines Blvd.
214-670-6150 or 214-243-2670 weekends
- Southwest (Oak Cliff) Transfer Station
- Wednesday or Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
4610 S. Westmoreland Road
214-670-1927
In addition to these drop-off sites, you can find more information on recycling specific items below:
- The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) keeps a list of the recycling options available for computers and TVs.
- If you want to recycle a TV in Dallas, you can find a list of certified recycling centers, and TV recycling pickup points in Dallas, here.
- If you have an old computer that you want to dispose of responsibly, you’ll find a list of manufacturers and recycling points here.
A number of stores and charities in Dallas also offer e-waste recycling. This can be a convenient recycling option for people who don’t live within easy reach of a city-run drop-off point. Stores and charities that accept e-waste recycling in Dallas include:
- Best Buy
- Staples
- Savers
- Goodwill
- The Salvation Army
You can find more information on where to recycle electronics in Dallas by looking at the City Hall website.
How else can I recycle electronics in Dallas?
Most stores, charities, and city facilities aim their services at small businesses and domestic users. If you run a business that produces a significant amount of e-waste, these drop-off points may not be suitable for large amounts of recyclables. If this is the case, then waste management companies such as RTS can help provide a solution to your e-waste needs, ensuring that electronic waste is diverted from landfill and correctly recycled.
If your electronics haven’t quite come to the end of their useful lives, another good option is to repair and reuse them. Keeping old computers and accessories in circulation allows us to maximize resources and prevent waste, and even allows people who may not be able to afford the latest tech to still gain access to it. There are a number of companies in Dallas that repair old electronics and return them to the market. This is a good option for businesses that want to ensure their electronics have as long a life as possible.
Individuals and businesses that want to learn more about recycling e-waste in Dallas can refer to the waste management hierarchy for inspiration. Here, you can learn about the preferred methods of waste management and how to keep resources in circulation for as long as possible, as high up the chain as possible.
What does the future hold?
Over the past 10 years, Dallas has significantly improved its e-waste recycling facilities, and today, it’s relatively easy for both businesses and consumers to responsibly dispose of old devices or broken e-waste. As the number of electronics in circulation continues to rise, it will become increasingly important for residents of the city to ensure their old TVs, computers, monitors, and other electronics are disposed of responsibly.
The best way to prevent unnecessary waste is to educate companies and individuals on the importance of sustainability in electronics disposal. Understanding how to maximize the life of digital devices, and correctly dispose of them when they become obsolete, will minimize waste and reduce the number of electronic devices sent to landfill.
To help promote sustainability in Dallas, RTS offers specialist training by LEED-accredited professionals. These programs, which can be carried out on-site or virtually, can help to guide your business towards increased sustainability and help it hit its compliance goals.
Contact RTS today to discuss your requirements and to learn more about the services we offer in relation to both e-waste and other types of waste.
Additionally, if you’d like to learn more about recycling e-waste in our other locations within the US, please refer to our other electronics recycling guides: