Key Points
Alachua County will stop collecting large electronics (e-waste) curbside starting on Monday, Oct. 20.
According to an Alachua County release, GFL (Green For Life), the county’s waste hauler, will no longer collect the large e-waste items left at the curb. The decision was made following recent facility and equipment fires related to e-waste, along with other environmental concerns.
What is considered large e-waste?
The following items will no longer be picked up as part of the county’s curbside collection program:
- Televisions
- Light fixtures that contain a ballast
- Tower computers
- Large printers (e.g., home office printer/scanner size)
- Any items containing Lithium Batteries (e.g., e-scooters, hoverboards and laptops)
How to dipose of large e-waste
Alachua County residents have several options for properly disposing of large e-waste items:
- Drop-off at the main Hazardous Waste Collection facility: Bring items to the main facility at 5125 NE 63rd Ave. in Gainesville. Drop-off is free for county residents.
- Drop-off at rural collection centers: Take items to the Hazardous Waste section of any of the five rural collection centers across the county.
- Privately contract a collection company: Residents may also choose to hire a collection company for home pickup services.
Curbside collection for other items unchanged
Residents should note that this change does not affect the curbside collection of other large items. GFL will continue to pick up:
- White goods, like microwaves, ovens, water heaters, refrigerators, freezers, window AC units, and other similar large appliances.
- Bulk waste, such as furniture, large children’s toys, bicycles, vacuum cleaners, ceiling fans, box fans, luggage, audio speakers, and limited interior remodeling debris.
For more information, residents can contact the Alachua County Solid Waste and Resource Recovery Department at 352-338-3233.
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The recent decision to stop curbside collection of large electronic waste items is short-sighted and unfair to residents. Many people, especially seniors and those without trucks, have no practical way to haul heavy televisions or computer monitors to a distant facility. Without a convenient option, we risk seeing more illegal dumping in neighborhoods and along roadsides — creating both an eyesore and an environmental hazard. Since residents already pay for waste services, the county and its hauler should either restore e-waste curbside pickup or offer scheduled collection days to ensure responsible and accessible disposal for everyone.
Inadequate notice. I had a large printer I was about to dispose of. 3 days is inadequate notice of such as policy change.
Inadequate notice of thepolicy change I was about to leave a heavy office laser printer on the curb. Now I am stuck!
It’s unbelievable that with a $1 billion budget, Alachua County can’t find a way to pick up a few televisions, computers, and other e-waste items from residents’ curbs. Forty million dollars already goes toward trash disposal — yet now we’re told we’re on our own when it comes to safely getting rid of electronics?
These aren’t luxury items — they’re everyday household products that eventually wear out. Leaving them for residents to figure out means more illegal dumping, more frustration, and more environmental risk.
With the money this county spends, sending out a special truck a few times a year to collect large e-waste would be a simple service with a big impact. Taxpayers deserve better than being told to “deal with it” while millions get wasted elsewhere.
I see that some people are dissatisfied with this policy. I think the reality is that it isn’t sudden, but a long time in the pipeline. We as a country, or maybe a planet, have been focused on inventing the newest version without thinking of the end of life part of the manufacturing process. I can remember milk delivery, and a diaper service coming to my house. The bottles and cloth diapers were used over and over and the collection, cleaning and reuse were baked into the price.
Now we manufacture goods that are dangerous to dispose of (like the fires that seem to have triggered this change) and dangerous to the planet (think of all the plastic we’ve created and are now ingesting as part of the food chain).
While delivering the refuse to the recycling plant is inconvenient, at least we have a place to drop it off. Just like people are now getting used to delivery of everything from fast food, to groceries, to anything you can buy online, I’m sure some entrepreneur will find a way to make money by providing a specific pickup and drop off electronics waste service.
The chickens always come home to roost.
And for those who insist it should continue to be a service – it can probably happen, but the price for that, paid in taxes & fees will go up.
On the other hand, maybe it should be baked into the original price, and the manufacturers who have in a way created this problem should shoulder the burden (costs) they have created.
Brave New World stuff…huh?