(WXYZ) — The Detroit Zoological Society announced it will be collecting electronics Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 in honor of America Recycles Day.
The collection will take place from noon to 6 p.m. at the Water Tower parking lot on the north side of the Detroit Zoo parking structure.
The collection will help limit the electronic waste that ends up in landfills.
The DZS said it is accepting large and small devices: printers, non-tube televisions, computers, batteries, radios, phones, etc.
“Technology offers opportunities for a higher quality of life, but many practices to extract materials, manufacture the products and dispose of them at the end of life are devastating habitats,” said Andy McDowell, DZS manager of sustainability, in a press release. “By recycling electronic waste, community members can make a meaningful impact toward reducing these destructive effects.”
DZS EWaste Collection Flyer by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
Every driver who brings electronic waste will reportedly receive a voucher for one free admission to the Detroit Zoo during regular hours any Monday through Thursday in 2021. Up to two vouchers will be given to a guest who coordinates with other households and brings a full vehicle of electronics to be recycled, according to the DZS.
The DZS says recycling electronic waste lets coltan, a mineral found in personal devices, be reused, helping reduce the demand, which in turn protects gorilla habitats in Africa.
The DZS advises participants to delete their personal info on their electronic devices before they drop them off. Hard drives will be destroyed per the U.S. Department of Defense standards.
If you are planning to participate, the DZS asks that you complete this survey beforehand: detroitzoo.org/2021-community-ewaste-collection-survey/.
