Southfield’s eCycle Opportunities to host old electronics drop-off event

eCycle Opportunities,  an electronics recycling business operated by non-profit agency Gesher Human Services to provide jobs for people with barriers to employment, will be offering metro-Detroiters the opportunity to dispose of electronics which have been replaced during post-Thanksgiving sales.

The free event will be held Thursday, Dec. 4, at the organization’s headquarters in Southfield (29699 Southfield Road).

The normal $25 television disposal fee and $5 printer disposal fee for residents will be waived.

Electronics including computers, monitors, printers, televisions, phones, tablets and accessories will be accepted for recycling.

All electronics will be recycled in a manner that protects the environment, the workers and the public.  This includes secure data destruction, safe dismantling processes, and ensuring hazardous chemicals do not enter our land, water or air.

More than 4 million pounds of electronics recycled

Since its launch in 2016, eCycle Opportunities has recycled over 4 million pounds of electronic material and intakes an average of 50,000 pounds of electronics a month.

Doors will open at the south side of the building (which is marked as the Rose and Sidney Diem Building) at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 7 p.m. Note: this event is for residents only; businesses are excluded. 

“We are all continuously cycling through electronics, but even more so at this time of year when holiday sales offer attractive pricing and that old television will then either continue to stare at you in the corner of your room, gather dust in the basement, or get put out with the trash,” said Justin Lunning, general manager of eCycle Opportunities.

“We want to ensure that when your old computer, phone, tablet or television gets replaced, it isn’t ending up in a landfill, leaching harmful chemicals into the soil, but is instead being disposed of in a safe way to protect the environment.”

Lunning said that eCycle Opportunities has adopted a growing focus on reusing electronics.

“If you have an older computer or stereo system, it can be dismantled into its different components and those components can then be turned into raw material to help create something new,” Lunning said.  “While this materials-recovery process keeps those harmful chemicals out of the environment and reduces our need to produce new material, there is an energy cost to it.

“Instead, if we can refurbish and sell some of the computers and other electronics to someone else, to use it in the way it was intended, that is a way of recycling that uses less energy and is ultimately better for our planet.”

Test before destroy

To that end, for the past three years more and more staff at eCycle are working on testing and repairing computers and other electronics for the purpose of resale instead of dismantling them for materials recovery.

Computers have their data destroyed and if they are newer and in good condition, they are put through a test and repair process to potentially be sold and re-used.  This helps eCycle meet one of its goals which is to generate revenue to support the work of Gesher Human Services.

More than 800 computers have been sold and re-used this way.

In spring of 2022, eCycle Opportunities was one of the earliest electronics recycling companies to become certified to the new R2v3 certification standard. The certification requires high standards for aspects of electronics recycling such as data security, reuse operations, managing the flow of material through downstream vendors and enhanced environmental health and safety requirements.

The business has also taken steps to ensure the safe recycling of lithium-ion batteries, which are increasingly included in so many electronic products, from ear buds and smart phones to power tools and laptops.

These batteries can be extremely dangerous when damaged or disturbed.  Careful packaging, storage and transportation are necessary for proper handling to ensure safety to people and the environment.

eCycle staff growing steadily

eCycle Opportunities currently has 12 employees, with the number growing annually.

Many employees have come to eCycle after completing an internship through one of Gesher’s programs and had a barrier to employment.

They are provided with tasks that they enjoy and match their aptitude. “Most tasks can be adjusted depending on someone’s specific abilities — we observe them and try to adapt the work if possible,” explained Lunning.

“For the test and repair work, different expertise is required, and the hope is that we will be able to create more jobs which utilize knowledge of computers and electronics.”

Current business customers of eCycle Opportunities include Lawrence Technological University, Oakland University, Oakland County Municipality, Taubman Company and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Drop off for the public is normally on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Businesses can email info@ecycleopps.org or call 248-233-4477 to schedule a drop-off or pick-up.

For more information, visit ecycleopps.org.