If you are a consumer or business in Indiana, electronics recycling centers are located throughout the state. Run either by the solid waste management district in your county, through municipal collection programs, or through electronics management service providers in partnership with the state, Indiana provides options for consumers to drop off their unneeded equipment.
Indiana State Laws and Regulations
In the state of Indiana, used electronics equipment such as televisions, computers, cell phones, and gaming consoles are considered household hazardous waste. There are no regulations currently in place which address proper disposal through Indiana electronics recycling centers but state government does work at promoting waste avoidance, reuse, and recycling initiatives in conjunction with the Indiana Recycling Coalition.
Indiana municipalities have the option to initiate their own Pay As You Throw (PAYT) programs. A state Technical Assistance Project, in partnership with the Indiana Association of Solid Waste Management Districts and funded by a grant from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, has developed a tool kit for participating communities. The PAYT program works by levying fees on residents based on the amount of hazardous waste that is handled by the communitys waste disposal facility.
The state has developed slightly different needs for businesses based on the amount of hazardous waste generated monthly. Companies with less than 220 pounds of e-waste (about seven or eight computers) are conditionally exempt. Large generators are considered those businesses which produce more than 220 pounds of e-waste (considered hazardous) and are regulated under federal laws for disposal. However, e-waste is excluded from the federal regulations if it is sent for reuse or to Indiana electronics recycling centers. The only exception to this rule is for cathode ray tubes found in televisions and computer monitors, these must always be sent specifically to hazardous waste landfills.
Business entities which wish to offer storage or processing of equipment as Indiana, electronics recycling centers are subject to the states Electronics Waste Management regulations which need them to register with the state and comply with a set of standards. Interested companies are encouraged to call the Office of Pollution Prevention and Technical Assistance at (800)988-7901 with questions or to register.
Although the state is doing a good job of increasing awareness of the need to regulate hazardous e-waste, the ability of Indiana, electronics recycling centers to handle the large amounts of used and outdated equipment is questionable. There are no regulations preventing consumers from dropping electronics devices in the landfills. For anyone considering providing e-waste services, there is a tremendous opportunity in Indiana.