Reworld™, in partnership with Goodwill Keystone Area, unveiled a new initiative to provide free electronic waste recycling across 22 central and southeastern Pennsylvania counties. The program was launched during an event at the local Goodwill Keystone Area store and donation center in Lemoyne, just across the river from the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Reworld™ is a proven provider of e-waste recycling, recovery and environmentally responsible disposal, having recycled more than 135 million pounds of e-waste.
Jessica Shirley, Acting Secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection, was present at the launch event, underscoring the importance of this pivotal move toward enhancing e-waste recycling access for the state’s residents. “Electronic waste is the fastest growing waste stream in the world, and making electronics reuse and recycling easier and more accessible is critical to keeping these materials out of landfills or worse, illegally dumped,” said Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “This program reduces waste, reuses items that are still good, and recycles the ones that aren’t.”
Made possible through efforts of the Pennsylvania Recycling Market Center, it began by Recycling Markets Center industry experts mapping Goodwill processes and operations, then understanding and interpreting the facility needs of Goodwill Keystone Area. Understanding Goodwill criteria and the e-waste landscape, the Recycling Markets Center coordinated the introduction of e-waste vendors to Goodwill Keystone Area, resulting in a successful pairing with Reworld™.
“In 2023, Pennsylvania had only nine e-waste recycling sites that would accept any electronic device for recycling at no cost, without limitations. The new program at Goodwill Keystone Area now includes 22 counties at 42 locations, approximately 45 percent of the Pennsylvania population,” said Robert Bylone, President and CEO, Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center.
“This program extends our commitment and services in managing end-of-life electronic devices responsibly, utilizing our expertise and facilities to ensure environmentally responsible recycling and disposal,” said Gordon Burgoyne, Business Manager of Electronics Recycling, Reworld™. “We are proud to join with Goodwill Keystone Area to bring a convenient and responsible no-cost e-waste recycling option to the residents of central and southeastern Pennsylvania under the state law.”
Reworld™ and Goodwill Keystone Area launched the initiative in response to a pressing need in the region, expanding electronic recycling options under the PA Covered Device Recycling Act 108 for many counties currently underserved by existing recycling programs. Many counties, including densely populated areas such as Montgomery, Bucks and Chester counties in the Philadelphia suburbs, lack comprehensive, e-waste disposal services. This gap poses significant challenges for residents, particularly when disposing of items like televisions, which typically incur additional fees and may only be collected on one specific day, if at all.
“In partnership with Reworld™, we’re flipping the switch on e-waste recycling,” Goodwill Keystone Area President and CEO Ed Lada, Jr. said. “This free program empowers residents across Goodwill’s 22-county footprint to responsibly donate a broad array of old electronics at any of our drop-off locations seven days a week. Donors can now take comfort knowing they have a convenient way of contributing to waste-reduction efforts and are helping to bolster Goodwill Keystone’s mission to advance sustainability in our communities.”
The new initiative will leverage Goodwill Keystone Area’s broad network of 42 stores and donation center sites, establishing each as drop-off points for a wide variety of e-waste items from televisions and computers to other household electronics, including mobile devices, gaming systems, telephones, toasters, vacuums and much more – with an ambitious goal to collect half a million pounds of electronic waste within the first year. The program will not only facilitate easier access to e-waste recycling for residents but also encourage them to donate other gently used items, such as clothing, books and household goods.
If the electronics dropped off are at the end of their life or broken and Goodwill Keystone Area cannot sell them in their stores, they will be responsibly recycled by Reworld™.This initiative represents a significant commitment by Reworld™ and Goodwill Keystone Area to improve electronic waste management and help preserve Pennsylvania’s environment for future generations. Goodwill Keystone Area will focus on the collection and sorting of donated items, and Reworld™ will play a critical role in the downstream processing and recycling, with the collected electronics being refurbished or recycled in compliance with the Pennsylvania Covered Device Recycling Act and international e-Stewards standards.
“The launch of this program and its capacity to accept e-waste is all about providing our neighbors here in Pennsylvania with the opportunity to take environmentally friendly action, and represents a six-fold increase in open and fee-free electronics recycling capacity in these 22 counties,” added Burgoyne.