Electronic waste collection event scheduled for March 8

If you need to throw away an old printer, maybe hang on to it just a little longer.

On March 8, WCA Tl'átḵ | Earth Branch will host an electronic waste collection event. Time and location are yet to be determined, but the event will allow people to dispose of their old electronics in a sustainable and safe manner.

Potential items to discard include computers, laptops, printers, scanners, TVs, monitors, cell phones and tablets. Earth Branch’s Kim Wickman said it’s best to fully wipe the memory from electronics like computers and phones before turning them in. She also urged folks to remove paper, ink and toner from printers and fax machines.

The event is free for the public, but Wickman encourages a $5 donation to help cover shipping expenses.

Once collected, the items will be barged down to Washington state to Total Reclaim, a recycling and sustainability company that will further break down the electronics.

“They take everything apart and harvest out any of the precious metals that are in them,” Wickman said. “They remove any of the toxins in them and then recycle what is recyclable.”

However, just because something is electronic, Wickman said it isn’t eligible for the collection event.

“They’re coming out with smart refrigerators now,” she said. “We will not be able to handle anything of that capacity.”

Microwaves, washing machines, dryers and other “white goods” are also prohibited at the March 8 event.

WCA has run this event since 2016, and Wickman said she likes to run it every other year. In the past, the carving shed on Front Street has served as the collection site, but now that the shed is being used for its actual purpose (carving totem poles), Wickman is looking for other options. She said she will make an announcement as soon as a location has been determined

She hopes the event promotes general electronic sustainability in town, adding that maintenance is the largest factor when it comes to ensuring long lives for electronic goods.

“A lot of times people are throwing things away because the battery is bad. Can’t we just replace the battery instead?”

Another easy way to not have to throw away so many electronic goods: stop buying new ones.

“Do you really need the newest model cell phone, or do you just want it? We always want the newest thing,” she said, “and we need to get out of that habit.”