Give Your Electronics a Second Life
MCC offers an electronics recycling community collection bin in the Library at the Southern and Dobson campus. Recycling services non-profit AZ StRUT collects unwanted electronic devices and e-waste from the bin. Items are responsibly recycled or refurbished whenever possible. AZ StRUT offers a range of programs to support the circular economy and student workforce skill development in STEM and IT.
Recycling Guide
The bin is for personal items only! Please Do Not put MCC-owned devices in the bin. Contact College Technology Services for any college equipment in need of replacement or recycling.
What CAN Be Recycled
- Phones and tablets
- Laptops and desktop computers
- Flat screens (55" or smaller)
- Chargers, cables, and adapters
- Mice and keyboards
- Headphones and earbuds
- USB drives and memory cards
- Calculators and smartwatches
- Small office printers and scanners
- Review the full list
What CANNOT Be Recycled
- Hazardous waste
- Batteries
- Light bulbs
- Ink or toner cartridges
- Large appliances
- Large electronics (No CRT monitors!)
- Items containing liquids or leaking components
Before You Drop It Off
Please follow these steps before dropping off your device for recycling.
Erase personal data
Do a factory reset, wipe the data storage, and remove SIM cards when possible.
Remove batteries
Take out any batteries that you can. We do not accept batteries for recycling.
Check size
Ensure your device is small enough to fit in the bin. Do not force large objects.
Location
The e-waste collection bin is located inside the front entrance of the library (LB 11) on the Southern and Dobson campus. Visit the Library website for current hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
The AZ StRUT bin is an open community collection point. It is strongly recommended that you remove your data before dropping off personal electronics. Once the items have been collected, AZ StRUT follows its data security procedure.
AZ StRUT and MCC are not responsible for items placed in the e-waste bin.
No. Please remember to remove all batteries, when possible.
No. The AZ StRUT community collection bin can not accept any MCC-tagged equipment. It is for personal items only. Please contact College Technology Services to safely process and recycle all campus-owned equipment.
If you have a large quantity of electronics or items that will not fit in the bin, please visit the AZ StRUT website for information about dropping off at their Tempe facility or scheduling a pickup. Our bin is not designed for large donations.
Supporting the Circular Economy @ MCC's Library
Recycling your electronics helps recover valuable materials, prevents toxic substances from entering landfills, and supports a cleaner healthy campus.
Learn more about how you can drive meaningful change on campus by embracing the circular economy and keeping electronics waste out of landfills with MCC's Library and AZ StRUT.
Explore practical sustainability tips and resources developed by MCC's research librarians at https://mesacc.libguides.com/sustainability_studies/ewaste
Why Recycling eWaste Matters
• Reduce environmental pollution and toxins in our environment
• Conserve natural resources
• Support a circular economy by reusing valuable metals
• Keep our community clean and sustainable
The Recycling Process
The electronic waste bin is serviced by Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology (AZ StRUT). AZ StRUT started in 1997 as concept by Intel and Motorola. They wanted to get used equipment to Arizona schools and non-profits that could benefit from them. AZ StRUT started partnering with schools and having some of their computer repair programs assist in the refurbishing efforts. In 1998 AZ StRUT officially became a 501(c)3 with the state of Arizona and started providing A+ certification training to the teachers and these programs. The organization support STEM programs with computer hardware and materials. Over 150,000 devices have been given to students and community members in need in the 25+ years since its founding.
AZ StRUT sorts items, refurbishes or reuses items when possible, and recycles thousands of pounds of other electronics according to the Responsible Recycling (R2) standard. Learn more about their process and programs.