E-Waste Information

Our mission is to collect and responsibly recycle old, broken, and obsolete tech equipment. 

As of January 1, 2010, it is illegal in Oregon to dispose of electronics with regular garbage. Please do your part by keeping electronic waste (e-waste) out of landfills. 

Information Technology accepts e-waste from any member of the Lewis & Clark community.

Drop off your old, broken, and obsolete tech equipment at the Service Desk or at the Watzek loading dock. If you need assistance, please contact itservice@lclark.edu or call x7255. If you have sensitive data on your device, we will help erase it for you at your request.

IT has a partnership with Free Geek, a local nonprofit that safely and securely refurbishes locally donated technology and gives it back to our community at no or low cost to provide our community’s most vulnerable populations with the digital literacy skills they need to succeed and thrive. What Free Geek cannot refurbish, they recycle in an environmentally responsible manner.

Acceptable Electronic Waste:

  • Devices with a circuit board
  • Batteries of all sorts, including car batteries
  • Cables
  • Cell phones
  • Computers and laptops
  • Phones (cordless and landlines)
  • DVD, CD, VHS, LaserDisc, 8-Track, Cassette, BetaMax players
  • Hard drives, iPods, Walkmans, etc.
  • Headphones, earbuds, microphones
  • Keyboards, mice, and other peripherals
  • Monitors and TVs
  • Plastic media, including floppy disks, VHS tapes and other magnetic media, zip disks, and rewritable CDs/DVDs
  • Smartboards
  • Speakers, Home Audio, Stereos, Car Audio
  • Printers, Scanners, Copiers, Multi-function, Fax Machines
  • Video Games, Consoles, Games, Controllers, Accessories
  • Scientific and Health Instruments and Equipment
  • Networking Equipment
  • IF IN DOUBT, JUST ASK!

Unacceptable Waste:

  • Biohazards / medical equipment
    • Items infested with insects or vermin droppings
    • Blood testing supplies or equipment
    • Items potentially contaminated with saliva and other bodily fluids (toothbrush heads etc.)
  • Compressed air items
    • CO2 cartridges, aerosol cans, etc.
  • Copiers lacking the ability to print from a computer or network
  • Furniture, including:
    • Wooden pianos and organs
    • Whiteboards
    • TV stands
    • Desks
  • Fluorescent light bulbs
  • Household appliances, including:
    • Dehumidifiers, Air conditioners
    • Refrigerators, Microwave ovens
    • Smoke detectors
  • Liquids
    • Cleaners, solvents, inkjet refill kits, etc.
  • Moldy, sticky, or smelly items (volunteers will be handling your donation)
  • Styrofoam

For information on where to recycle items in the Portland Metro area, please visit:

https://www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-living/garbage-and-recycling