Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Recycling

  • Electronic Waste Recycling Program

    Electronic waste, or “e-waste”, is generated on every school campus and facility. E-waste includes many types of electronic devices, as well as the many accessories associated with those devices. Most electronic equipment contains hazardous materials (e.g., heavy metals, fire retardants) which are harmful to human health and the environment if not disposed of properly. This web page provides guidance on the proper procedures for managing E-waste in the District. 

    For more information regarding e-waste, contact Environmental and Conservation Services (ECS) at 684-5154. You can access the most updated e-waste Bulletin HERE. 

    How to Store E-waste
    Each school and facility should store E-waste in a secure and dry area, preferably in a central location.

    Gaylord Box:
    Schools or facilities have the option of ordering a "Gaylord" box for the storage of miscellaneous e-waste. This box is 4' x 4' and has a wooden pallet that is placed beneath the box. Schools or ancillary facilities shall select an appropriate place for Gaylord box placement, which can accommodate at minimum, the width of a pallet jack.

    In addition, the e-waste collection storage area shall be secure and an indoor location that is protected from the weather. Some schools make arrangements to keep their Gaylord box in the custodial receiving area. It is acceptable if schools choose not to have a Gaylord box due to space limitations.

    Important note: the Gaylord box is for miscellaneous e-waste items only. Do NOT place CPUs, laptops, LCDs, TVs monitors in this box.
    Gaylord box

    Gaylord box on top of a wooden pallet and filled with miscellaneous e-waste items. Fragile items such as monitors and LCDs are kept out of the box and stored on a separate pallet.

    Computers, Laptops, LCDs, Monitors, and :
    These items should NOT be placed in a Gaylord box. Instead, these items should be stored in one of the following ways: on a separate pallet, in stacks of like items, on shelves, in an empty classroom or closet, or on media carts. These items will be field counted, stacked, palletized, and shrink-wrapped by the vendor at the time of pickup.

    Important note: Portable electronic devices (laptops and Chromebooks) should not be included in e-waste collection requests or pickups. Please submit an e-support ticket to have these items picked up by IT services.

    How to Schedule an E-waste Pickup
    Once the Gaylord box is three-quarters full and/or schools have collected the equivalent of at least one (1) pallet of materials (e.g., 40-50 CPUs, and/or 25-40 monitors), the school or facility's representative (ITSA, STST, Media Specialist, or other) may submit a pickup request. All the materials should be gathered in one location to the greatest extent possible.

    To request a pickup, submit an Electronic Waste Pickup Request Form. Pickups will occur within 20 business days from the date of the request for service. The vendor will contact the school in advance to let them know the scheduled day. Schools must confirm the date with the vendor. In addition, the school contact (or a designee) must be present during the entire length of the pickup to ensure that only the correct items are collected by the vendor. At the time of pickup, the school contact (or designee) will sign a "Pickup Sheet" which is provided by the driver and will show a field count of the types and number of items that are being collected.

    Assets and Inventory
    All schools and departments are responsible for maintaining inventory. The procedure for disposal of assets prior to an e-waste request for pickup is to first remove items from inventory using PeopleSoft, and Destiny, if applicable. The Property and Transfer Form 0082 is no longer used by Assets to do disposals or transfers. All transfers and disposals must be done within PeopleSoft. If you have questions, contact Asset Management at 561-357-1195. 

    Acceptable E-waste

    Computers

      • PC towers/CPUs (units 5 years or older; for computers less than 5 years old, refer to Purchasing Manual)-Do not place these items in the Gaylord box.
      • Portable disk drives
      • Hard disk drives
      • Blade servers
      • Small-scale servers

    Computer Accessories 

      • Monitors (CRTs and flat-screen LCDs) - do not place in a Gaylord box-Do not place these items in the Gaylord box.
      • Keyboards
      • Mice
      • Hard drives
      • Power and network cables
      • Docking stations
      • Network hubs
      • Modems
      • Switches

    Office Equipment 

      • Small desktop printers
      • Label printers
      • Fax machines
      • Terminals
      • Printers
      • Shredders
      • Laminators

                   Important note: Please remove ink and toner from ALL printers before pickup.

    Audio/Visual Equipment

      • Videocassette recorders (VCRs)
      • DVD and CD players
      • Televisions
      • Cassette tape players
      • Radios/stereos
      • Blu-ray players
      • CDs and DVDs
      • Electronic musical instruments

    Miscellaneous

      • Electronic circuit boards and components
      • Switching boxes
      • Laser pointers
      • Terminals
      • Uninterruptible power supplies
      • Small appliances
      • Most items that have a plug

    If you need to recycle an item not found on this list, or if you have any questions, please contact ewaste@palmbeachschools.org. 

    PLEASE NOTE: These items are NOT E-waste:

    • Golf Carts
    • Furniture
    • Kilns
    • Custodial Equipment
    • Refrigerators