Waste Not
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Over the last 20 years, Wisconsin has become one of the nation’s leading recycling states, implementing comprehensive recycling laws and diverting millions of tons of recyclable and hazardous materials from our landfills.
In 2010 Wisconsin took another step when it banned many electronics from landfills, including computers, TVs and printers, cell phones and other electronics that contain lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, other heavy metals and chemical flame retardants.
Yet many Wisconsinites still slip these harmful, and potentially dangerous products into the trash. Sometimes we do it simply out of laziness, sometimes we do it to save money (proper disposal will usually cost you) and sometimes we do it because we just don’t know where to go with everything.
For those that fall into the latter camp, here’s a guide to a few of the places you can take some of that oddball trash. This list does not include municipal recycling drop-off locations, which don’t accept hazardous waste, e-waste, and many other irregular recyclables and waste.
Brown County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
2561 South Broadway, Green Bay
920.492.4950
http://www.co.brown.wi.us/departments
All types of residential electronics accepted Thursdays noon – 6 pm and Saturdays 8 am – 2 pm. Businesses by appointment only. Hazardous materials accepted include paint, solvents, acids, cleaning products, fluorescent lights, ballast, antifreeze, batteries, pool chemicals and more.
Going Garbage
10564 Old Stage Road, Sister Bay
920.854.2114
Scrap metal, used motor oil, cell phones and rechargeable batteries are accepted with no fee. Paper, plastic, yard waste, Freon units (air conditioners, refrigerators, etc…), appliances, fluorescent bulbs, empty propane tanks, lead acid batteries, tires, and e-waste are all accepted for a fee.
HELP of Door County
219 Green Bay Road, Sturgeon Bay
920.743.8785
HELP will recycle your old cell phones; just drop it off. Not only will you keep your old phone out of the trash, but HELP sends it in and receives anywhere from 50 cents to $15 for old phones – so you’ll be helping a Door County nonprofit as well.
Lamp Recyclers, Inc.
3055 Holmgren Way, Green Bay
920.403.1166 or 800.558.1166
Collects florescent lamps, bulbs, holiday lights, ballasts, batteries, mercury, medical waste, televisions, appliances and other items.
Little Hoppers
1509 Division Rd., Sturgeon Bay
920.746.7434
Pays for metal, including Christmas tree lights. Also accepts recycling, asphalt shingles, drywall, un-painted wood, e-waste, garbage, appliances, fluorescent bulbs, tires, ink cartridges, cell phones, car batteries, ballast, air conditioners.
Sturgeon Bay Iron and Scrap
1456 Shiloh Road, Sturgeon Bay
920.743.2232
Sturgeon Bay Iron and Scrap takes anything metal, and pays for it! Call for current prices.
Sturgeon Bay Utilities
230 E. Vine Street, Sturgeon Bay
920.746.2820
Sturgeon Bay Utilities (SBU) hosts an electronic waste collection quarterly. The next one is June 15. Sturgeon Bay Utilities collects florescent lamps, bulbs, holiday lights, ballast from bulbs, batteries, mercury, televisions, appliances and other items. There is a charge for dropping off here, but it’s done at the same cost they pay Lamp Recyclers to take it in Green Bay.
At their last collection on March 16, SBU collected 874 pounds of televisions, 1,900 pounds of monitors, and 1,500 pounds of other computer components, keeping over 4,300 pounds of potentially dangerous waste out of landfills and diverting it into the recycling stream.
In December, when residents cleaned out before the holidays, the sweep brought in 2,200 pounds of monitors, and 1,700 pounds of other computer components.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you know of other disposal facilities in the area that accept hazardous or recyclable items, let us know. Email [email protected].
