City of Dickinson's electronics waste recycling event returns May 10. Anyone can drop-off unwanted e-waste, including old video game systems, batteries, cell phones, printers, cables, wiring, computers, servers and routers, printers and more.
The city has been working with North Dakota E-Waste for the event.
The Bismarck-based company first reached out to the city two years ago.
"They wanted to start an e-waste collection day in Dickinson, as we'd never had on prior to that," Aaron Praus, Dickinson solid waste manager, said. "We committed to it, and allowed them to utilize our facilities."
Its first year, the city collected 13 tons of materials, or roughly 26,000 pounds.
"People were cleaning out office spaces and whatnot," Praus said. "You'd see trailer load after trailer load of material coming in."
Last year, the program coincided with the city's Spring clean-up effort.
"Obviously, we had quite a bit less material because every took advantage of the first year," Praus said. "We diverted just about eight tons, or 16,000 pounds, out of our landfill."
This year's event will be held only one day, from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
"In years past, we did a Friday-Saturday type event. Saturdays weren't extremely busy, so they asked if we could go to a one-day event this year," Praus said.
Such efforts allow the city to divert materials from the landfill.
"We're trying to clean up our landfill, what's going out there, and incorporating it in with our current recycling program," Praus said. "We're trying to now expand into different areas in different ways, and bring more recycling to our residents, as they're requesting."
Already, these efforts have made a difference.
"The community has done very well thus far with their recycling habits," Praus said, "whether its single-stream comingle recycling we're doing off the streets or utilizing our drop sites."
Electronics recycling could become a regular feature of the city's recycling program.
Other cities do such regular collections at household hazardous waste facilities.
"We probably will be looking at a stronger recycling program that will incorporate this on a permanent basis," Praus said. "How soon? I can't answer that."
Praus appreciates the community's engagement with the city's burgeoning programs.
"I like seeing our community get involved in different things we bring to them," he said. "It helps to support when we bring in new efforts, and it gives us the sense that there's interest in what we're doing."
The city electronics waste recycling event will be held May 10, from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the Baler Building, 3389 Energy Dr.
Some materials come with a fee for disposal.
These include flat panel monitors or TVs ($5); CRT monitors less than 19 inches ($20), more than 19 inches ($30); florescent lamps ($60 to $90); and others.
For a complete list, contact Dickinson Public Works at 456-7979.