Department of Solid Waste will no longer collect household electronics for recycling

Slated to start in October 2022, the Household Electronic and Chemical Collection Center (HEC3) will no longer accept household electronic waste, or E-waste, for recycling at the facility. Instead, residents are encouraged to donate working household electronics, bring electronics to a recycling drop-off, or place electronics in their regular curbside garbage for pickup. Bulky items that do not fit into curbside collection bins should be taken to an electronics recycler or residents can contact their municipality or hauler about other collection options. Residents are encouraged to use the Where Does it Go? Search Tool to locate applicable donation options or find an electronics recycler in their area if they choose to continue recycling their E-waste.

Residents should continue to take items with rechargeable batteries to drop off locations using the Where Does It Go? Search Tool. Rechargeable batteries can cause fires when compressed, which endangers workers and damages equipment; they should not be discarded in garbage or recycling collection containers.

The HEC3 will continue to take accepted electronic waste, but all E-waste collected at the center will be sent with regular garbage to the County’s Waste-to-Energy Facility to be incinerated. The metals from the E-waste will be recovered from the ash residue for recycling. The incineration process will turn the remainder of the E-waste into electricity.

Private and municipal haulers have been notified about the program change and are making adjustments in their protocols and processes.

The Department of Solid Waste will conduct four public information sessions about the potential change. Sessions will be held on the following dates throughout the month of June:

• Wednesday, June 1, from 6 – 8 p.m.
  Virtual session on Zoom

• Monday, June 13, from 6 – 8 p.m.
  Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport

• Wednesday, June 22, from 6 – 8 p.m.
  St. Petersburg College EpiCenter, 13805 58th St. N., Clearwater

• Tuesday, June 28, from 6 – 8 p.m.
  Harbor Hall, 1190 Georgia Ave., Palm Harbor

For more information about the program change, visit Pinellas.gov/household-hazardous-waste-hhw-collection.