This program is for City of Madison residents and property owners only. Businesses may not use the Streets Division's electronics recycling.
If you do not live in Madison, or if the electronic item was used exclusively for a business, consult your local government or find a registered private electronic recycler in your area.
How do I...
For Madison residents, electronics must be taken to a drop-off site.
Place the items into a cardboard box within the electronics recycling area.
Or they may also choose a different private electronic recycler.
Do not place electronic items at the curb for recycling. Do not place electronics in your green recycling cart, either.
Some items require a recycling fee to be paid prior to recycling the item.
You must complete a work order form and wait for the fee sticker before dropping off the items that require a fee.
television recycling
Do not place televisions at the curb for collection. Televisions must be taken to a Streets Division drop-off site for recycling.
The television recycling fee is $15.
Use the work order system to purchase a $15 recycling sticker that will be mailed to you after the successful purchase. You must have the sticker on the television before it will be accepted.
Exemptions: Large console TVs and large projection screen TVs are different. Contact the Streets Division office if you have one of these television types to discuss your options.
If you place a television at the curb that is not one of the exemptions noted above, it will be subject to removal by city staff. If a non-exempt television is collected by city staff, property owners will be assessed the recycling fee plus a $30 administrative fee per television collected. Broken televisions will be immediately removed as they pose a safety hazard. The property owner will be assessed the recycling fee plus the administrative fee for each broken television collected.
computer monitor, laptop, or computer CPU recycling
Monitors, laptops, and computers will not be collected at the curb. They must be taken to a Streets Division drop-off site for recycling.
Computer monitors (all kinds), laptops, and computer towers/central processing units all require a $10 fee to be paid prior to dropping off these items.
Use the work order system to purchase a $10 recycling sticker that will be mailed to you after the successful purchase. You must have the sticker on the computer (etc.) before it will be accepted.
If you place a monitor, computer, or laptop at the curb it will be subject to removal by city staff. If one of these items is removed, the property owners will be assessed the recycling fee plus a $30 administrative fee per unit. Broken units found at the curb are subject to immediate removal as they pose a safety hazard. The property owner will be assessed the recycling fee plus an administrative fee for each broken unit removed.
Note: we are not charging a fee for tablet computers at this time. The fee is only charged for laptops and computer towers.
ELECTRONICS BANNED FROM THE LANDFILL
Some electronics are banned from the landfill and must be brought to a drop-off site or another vendor for recycling.
For a full list of banned items, use this guide provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Televisions, computers, computer monitors, laptops, and computer towers/CPUs require an additional fee to be paid using the work order system prior to dropping them at the site.
All other items are accepted free of charge.
The list of electronics that must be recycled and are banned from the landfill include:
- Cell phones & smart phones
- Computers (desktops, laptops, net books, tablets, etc)
- Computer peripherals
(this is any item that is exclusively used with a consumer computer)
- Keyboards
- Computer monitors
- Mice
- Scanners
- Modems
- Routers
- Web cameras, flash drives, external hard drives, etc.
- Digital video players/recorders
- DVD players
- Blu-ray players
- E-readers
- Fax machines
- Printers
- Desktop printers
- Fax/scan/copy printers
- 3-D printers
- Televisions
- VCRs
These electronics should be brought to the drop-off site for recycling.
If it has a plug or it runs on battery, there's a good chance it can be recycled with the electronics.
Contact us if you have other questions about what we can and cannot accepted.
Here is a partial list of all of the various gizmos we can take.
These items are accepted free of charge.
- MP3 players
- Cables & cords
- Stereos
- Stereo components
- Floppy discs
- Carbon monoxide detectors
- (Note: We cannot recycle smoke detectors. Place smoke detectors in your tan refuse cart, or, if possible, mail them back to the manufacturer)
- Holiday / Christmas lights
- Extension cords
- Land line telephones
- Video game consoles, cartridges, and controllers
- Printer cartridges
- Miscellaneous small appliances (electronic scales, coffee makers, box fans, etc.)
- Cameras
- Vacuums
- Cash registers
- Hair dryers, curling irons, etc.
CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays
These items are acceptable in the drop-off sites and they are sent for data destruction, but not recycled.
All material collected in our program is dismantled here in Wisconsin. The company currently contracted with the Streets Division to recycle electronics collected at the drop-off sites is Universal Recycling Technologies.
what's the process for recycling electronics?
Check out this video from the Wisconsin DNR that shows some of the electronics recycling process at a facility in Wisconsin. This is not the same facility that accepts the electronics collected at the Streets Division, but the process is similar.
- Cascade Asset Management
Accepts many different electronics for recycling. .
- Goodwill
Accepts computers, monitors, and printers at their donations centers. Call the stores for details.
- File 13
Accepts electronics for a fee and offers in-home pick-up for a charge. Contact store for details and pricing.
- Best Buy
Accepts TVs and computers for a fee. Call the store for details and restrictions.
- Madison Recycling Center (operated by Waste Management)
Accepts certain electronics. Contact them for pricing details.
- Resource Solutions
Accepts many electronics for a fee. Contact them for details.
Also, you can check the Wisconsin DNR website to find other reputable electronics recycler options.
Donation options?
Most organizations will not accept old computers or televisions or other out-dated technology.
Please check with the organization where you would like to donate your items before loading your vehicle.
QUESTIONS?
E-mail: Streets or call (608) 266-4681 for Streets West or (608) 246-4532 for Streets East.