EGLE Highlights Growth of E-Waste Recycling in the Upper Peninsula

Michigan highlights efforts to bring electronic waste recycling to Baraga County. Recently the state completed work to set up an electronic waste recycling collection location in Baraga County with the help of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community. Efforts to bring e-waste recycling to the Upper Peninsula started in 2014 after a pile of old television sets was found at an unregistered electronic recycler. The 1.2 million pounds of electronic waste was later cleaned up by the EPA. Since then 13 permanent electronic waste collection sites have been located throughout the region, with the newest set up in Baraga County. EGLE Electronics Recycling Specialist Steve Noble says that the state knew after the 2014 discovery that Upper Peninsula residents needed a way to properly recycle unwanted electronics. Through several small grants, the first collection sites grew into permanent locations with support from private and public entities and Upper Peninsula tribes. Those interested in learning more about the 13 electronic waste recycling collection sites in the Upper Peninsula can find more details here. Find more information about the E-waste collection sites here.