After a short winter lull, Inletkeeper’s programs start revving up come spring. One program that Kenai Peninsula residents have grown to count on are our annual spring electronics recycling events. This year is no different. Mark your calendars for April 30th for our annual e-recycling events in Soldotna and Homer. Drop off your old devices and Inletkeeper staff and volunteers will engage in our annual game of tetris as we palletize electronic relics from your junk drawers, closets and garages.  

FACT: There is more recoverable gold in 1 ton of personal computers than in 17 tons of gold ore. 

From lessening the demand for mineral mining to avoiding pollution, recycling these old devices is a meaningful, conscious consumer action. If the life cycle of old electronic devices end in our landfills, not only do we allow them to leach toxins such as lead, mercury, cadmium, beryllium, polyvinyl chloride, and chromium into our watershed, we also surrender precious, reusable metals that we’ve invested significant resources to uncover back to the earth. 

While Inletkeeper is committed to diverting electronic waste from our landfills, we also must acknowledge the program’s shortcomings. The life phase of electronics recycled in Alaska is an energy intensive journey that takes them thousands of miles from one recycler to the next – and while Inletkeeper can ensure that every recycler is certified by the EPA to have a responsible recycling policy while managing end-of-life electronic equipment, the final destinations and uses of these electronic components are often unclear. Inletkeeper envisions a transition in how we handle electronic waste in our state, leaning into Alaskan’s resourceful nature to build up our local economy for refurbishing, recycling and repurposing. Until then, let the games begin. 

For more information and a comprehensive list of items we can and cannot accept, visit www.inletkeeper.org/recycling

Thank you for reading. We are able to do this work because of member support from concerned citizens like you. If donating is the kind of advocacy that works for you at this time, please donate to protect Cook Inlet for our future generations.