Oregon E-Cycles to expand collection program

Starting Jan. 1, 2015, the Oregon Electronics Recycling Program (Oregon E-Cycles) will expand its obsolete electronics collection and recycling program to include computer peripherals and printers.

The program, administered by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), is completing its sixth year of collecting and recycling computers, monitors and television sets throughout the state.

Oregon E-Cycles includes a network of more than 270 collection locations and recyclers. Additionally, Oregon E-Cycles holds a number of collection events statewide throughout the year.

Electronics manufacturers fund the collection and recycling program, whule funds from Oregon DEQ help with administrative costs.

“The addition of new devices to the Oregon program demonstrates the strong commitment of Oregonians to responsibly recycle their electronic waste, while protecting our shared environment,” says Craig Lorch, CEO of Seattle-based Total Reclaim.

Total Reclaim has been one of Oregon E-Cycles’ primary collectors and recyclers of electronics equipment since the program began on-ground operations in 2009. The firm operates an electronics recycling facility in Portland. The company also operates a facility in Anchorage, Alaska.

For Lorch, the addition of printers and peripherals, percentagewise, will still be a small minority compared with television sets, which still make up the overwhelming majority of the material the company takes in.

Preliminary figures for 2014 indicate that Oregon E-Cycles will meet its intended goal of 29.3 million total pounds of material collected and recycled. From 2009 to 2013, program has collected 123.5 million pounds of electronics for recycling and 158,335 units for reuse.

The Oregon E-Cycles website, at www.oregonecycles.org, provides a database of collection locations and list of manufacturers who are compliant with the program, as well as other program information.