The holiday season is officially here, and with Christmas and the New Year right around the corner, millions of people will unwrap new phones, laptops, tablets, and smart devices.
But before the new tech comes in… the old tech has to go somewhere.
And where it goes matters more than most people realize.
Improper disposal of electronics can lead to data exposure, environmental contamination, and even landfill fire risks caused by lithium-ion batteries. That’s why EAS—Iowa’s only R2v3-certified electronics recycler—helps families, businesses, and organizations retire their outdated devices safely, securely, and responsibly.
Why the Holidays Create a Surge in E-Waste
December is one of the biggest months of the year for electronics turnover. Here’s why:
- Holiday gifts mean new devices replacing old ones
- End-of-year business budgets lead to tech refreshes
- Winter cleaning clears out basements, offices, and storage rooms
- Schools and districts retire Chromebooks and classroom tech before spring
All this activity generates a massive spike in e-waste—much of which still ends up in the trash.
EAS helps prevent that by keeping electronics out of Iowa landfills and ensuring they are recycled or refurbished responsibly.
🔐 Before You Recycle: Don’t Forget Your Data
Many devices store personal or business data long after they stop working. Even “factory reset” isn’t always enough.
EAS follows NIST 800-88 data destruction standards and offers:
- Certified hard drive wiping
- Physical shredding of solid-state and spinning drives
- Secure IT Asset Disposal (ITAD) for businesses
- Full audit reporting and Certificates of Destruction (when selected)
Your personal information—and your business compliance—stays protected.
♻️ What Electronics Can You Recycle at EAS?
We accept a wide range of devices, including:
- Laptops, desktops, all-in-ones
- Chromebooks and tablets
- Phones and mobile devices
- Printers and office electronics
- Cables, cords, chargers
- TVs (LCD, LED, OLED)
- CRT monitors and legacy equipment
- Computer components (HDDs, SSDs, memory, processors)
- Miscellaneous consumer electronics
As a certified facility, you can trust that everything is processed responsibly and documented according to industry standards.
🧯 Why You Should Never Throw Electronics in the Trash
Electronics contain materials that can harm the environment—or even cause fires—when improperly handled:
- Lithium-ion batteries will ignite when crushed by trash processing equipment and cause fires in garbage trucks or the landfill!
- CRT glass contains lead so it must be recycled responsibly
- LCD panels may contain mercury
- Hard drives can expose sensitive information, even if you think you wiped it
- Plastics and heavy metals can leach into soil and groundwater adding to our water pollution
The landfill isn’t safe—and in many cases, it’s not legal to dispose of electronics with regular waste.
EAS ensures each device is managed according to R2v3 and environmental best practices.
🏢 For Businesses: A Perfect Time for an IT Clean-Out
End of year = end of budget cycle.
December and January are ideal months for:
- Office technology refreshes
- Equipment upgrades
- Decommissioning old servers
- Retiring employee laptops or phones
- Inventory reconciliation
- Compliance-driven data disposal
EAS offers secure pick-ups, serialized inventory reporting, and locked transport options for regulated industries.
🌱 EAS Keeps Iowa Cleaner — One Pound at a Time
-
In 2024 alone, EAS processed over a quarter million pounds of electronics from Iowa homes and businesses. That’s equivalent to:
- 12 full two-car garages filled wall-to-wall
- Over 2,400 desktop computers’ worth of e-waste
- Thousands of CRTs, TVs, printers, and legacy devices
Every pound recycled responsibly is a pound kept out of our landfills and waterways.
🎉 Start the New Year Fresh — Recycle Your Old Tech Responsibly
Whether you’re unboxing new gadgets this Christmas or clearing out your office before January deadlines, EAS makes responsible recycling simple and secure.
📍 Urbandale drop-off location
🚚 Business pick-ups available
🔐 Secure data destruction options
♻️ Certified, environmentally responsible processing