Waste not, want not
Businesses geared up to keep your unwanted electronics out of landfills
In observance of Earth Day, uBreakiFix in partnership with Samsung, is inviting consumers to sort through their unwanted electronic devices and recycle them for free by April 22.
Electronic devices such as computers and cell phones contain heavy metals, combustible chemicals and other toxic materials, including lithium batteries, that are not biodegradable. These toxins can end up in soil, air and water resources if not disposed of properly.
uBreakiFix specializes in same-day electronic repairs, but also manages devices not worth repairing. Drew Lessaris — who owns uBreakiFix locations in Royal Oak, Bloomfield Hills, Southfield, Sterling Heights, Troy and West Bloomfield — majored in biological engineering with a focus on renewable energy. He joined the company in 2014, and says he’s excited about the partnership with Samsung.
“We have always taken consumers’ devices for recycle purposes, but this partnership gives us access to Samsung’s authorized recycle partners, which allows us to be a recycle hub for customers more fully,” Lessaris says. This way, he adds, people can be confident their devices will be refurbished or processed into raw commodities for future reuse rather than ending up in a landfill.
Earth Day, a holiday established in 1970 and observed every year on April 22, is a way to increase awareness of the need to protect our natural environment. Many people celebrate by planting trees, but pollution from electronics and recycling have come into greater focus more recently.
According to the United Nation’s Global E-waste Monitor 2020, ewastemonitor. info, a record 53.6 million metric tons of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2019, an increase of 21% in five years.
“We will continue to offer free recycling after Earth Day, but we are really promoting our Erase E-Waste Challenge initiative and encourage people to bring in as many devices by then as possible,” Lessaris says.
Another concern for many people is what to do about their personal information, such as passwords and banking IDs, stored on old phones and computers.
“If desired, we can help people with the necessary steps to erase their private
information, and we also offer free diagnostics for anyone interested in exploring whether or not their device is worth being repaired, whether for their own use, that of a family member or charitable donation,” Lessaris says. “We pride ourselves on our customer service and providing a hassle-free experience.”
Another local business committed to keeping electronic waste out of landfills is eCycle Opportunities in Farmington Hills, a subsidiary of JVS Human Services, which also recycles and safely disposes electronics.
“In addition to keeping electronic waste out of landfills, the company was created to employ folks who have barriers to employment,” says eCycle Opportunities general manager Justin Lunning.
People can drop off their electronics to eCycle for recycling between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays and businesses can do the same from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lunning sees eCycle’s role as “the front line of the recycling chain, collecting, sorting and dismantling devices before shipping them to a larger facility, turning them into something new or refurbishing devices.”
For more information on locations, hours and materials accepted at uBreakiFix, visit ubreakifix.com
For more on eCycle Opportunities, visit ecycleopps.org, call 248-2334477 or email info@ecycleopps.org