Frequently Asked Questions

What are your fees and forms of payment?
Cash and credit/debit cards are accepted. Sorry, no checks. The cash fee to recycle electronics is $0.50/pound. There is an additional 2.3% convenience fee for credit/debit card users.  Both types of cards have a minimum convenience fee charge of $1.00.  

How will my total electronics recycling bill be determined?
All of your electronics will be weighed on a certified floor scale.  The total weight of your electronics will be multiplied by 0.5 to determine your cash price.  If using a credit or debit card, the cash price will be multiplied by 1.023 to arrive at your total bill.  The minimum credit and debit card convenience fee is $1.00.  The total weight of your electronics and the total bill will be presented to you before payment is accepted.     
 
Will you offer refunds if I change my mind afterwards?
All sales are final.  No refunds will be offered after payment is made.   

When will you be open?
Current Days and Hours of Operation are as follows:

Monday - CLOSED
Tuesday - 12 PM to 4 PM
Wednesday - 12 PM to 4 PM
Thursday - CLOSED
Friday - CLOSED
Saturday - 8 AM to 12 PM (2nd and 4th Saturday of each month only)
Sunday - CLOSED

Days and Hours of Operation will be evaluated regularly and are subject to change.  The site will be closed on County Holidays and possibly during inclement weather.  

What do you accept for recycling?
A complete list of acceptable electronics can be viewed here.  Please note the list of unacceptable items as well.

Should I be worried about private or personal information on my computer?
Cumberland County will take steps to secure computers with hard drives and hard drives by themselves while in the possession of Cumberland County and awaiting transportation to our R2 certified recycler.  Cumberland County cannot, however, 100% guarantee the security of such information.  We recommend you erase all personal and private files from your computer or hard drive before turning it over to us.    

Why are you charging a fee to recycle electronics when I already pay taxes?
Fees are required to pay for the costs of this program.  Cumberland County has never used general fund tax dollars for its Recycling & Waste program expenses.  Only those who choose to use the program will be required to pay for it through the fees that we charge.

Doesn't Pennsylvania have a law that requires electronics manufacturers to pay for recycling?
Yes, Pennsylvania has a law that requires electronics manufacturers to fund the recycling in a given year the total weight of products they sold two years ago.  Recently manufactured electronics weigh considerably less than those made ten or more years ago.  As a result, manufacturer recycling requirements decrease every year because the sales weight of newer electronics decreases.  Meanwhile, most of the electronics recycling stream is comprised of older, heavier units that enable manufacturers to quickly meet their established weight-based recycling goals, after which they typically suspend their recycling efforts for the remainder of the year.  In the end, manufacturer supported recycling programs do not meet the demand for electronics recycling in Pennsylvania.  No electronics manufacturers have offered to support electronics recycling in Cumberland County. 

Can I leave my electronics behind if no one is there?
Absolutely not!  Leaving electronics at the recycling center during closed hours is considered illegal dumping. High resolution security cameras have been installed in multiple locations around the facility to identify illegal dumpers. Illegal dumpers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.   
 
Who is eligible to use the electronics recycling center?
Anyone can use the facility.  One benefit of a fee based site is source of material is not an issue.  As long as the recycling fee is paid, it does not matter where the customer lives or whether the electronics are from homeowners, businesses, or institutions.
  
What if I have a lot of electronics?
The drop off of large volumes of electronics must be scheduled in advance.  We would prefer to work with you to prepackage your electronics ahead of time versus showing up with a dump truck load of electronics that may take a while to sort through and weigh.

Why is the County doing this when other recycling opportunities (i.e. Best Buy, Staples) exist?
The County is primarily attempting to address the lack of television recycling opportunities Pennsylvania's electronics recycling law has created.  Televisions are the most difficult and most expensive of the electronics to recycle.  This is why it is so hard to find a place to recycle them.  We will gladly accept the other electronics on our acceptable items list but want the public to know that recycling outlets for the other electronics may exist at better rates.  Click here to view possible outlets for electronics other than televisions. 
 
Why can't I just put my electronics in the trash?
Pennsylvania's electronics recycling law bans televisions and computer equipment from disposal as solid waste.

What happens to my electronics after I drop them off?
Electronics will be sorted into like materials and packaged on either pallets or in Gaylord boxes.  Once a full load of electronics is obtained (18,000 pounds), the collected electronics will be sent to our contracted recycler, Sunnking, in Brockport, New York.  Sunnking is certified to the R2 Standard.  The R2 Standard provides a common set of processes, safety measures, and documentation requirements for businesses that repair and recycle used electronics.  R2 is rigorously and independently audited, emphasizing quality, safety, and transparency.

April 25, 2017

Cumberland County Developing Permanent Electronics Recycling Center

County Efforts

The Cumberland County Commissioners have approved the development and operation of a permanent electronics recycling center with plans to open in summer 2017.  Earlier this year, the Commissioners selected Sunnking, Inc., Brockport, NY, from amongst four recyclers that submitted proposals to transport and recycle electronics collected by the County.  Unfortunately, none of the proposals were backed by equipment manufacturer funding as Pennsylvania’s electronics recycling law had intended to provide.

As a result, the County will charge customers $.50 per pound of electronics recycled. The fee will offset the County’s costs for collecting, packaging, loading, shipping and recycling electronics and does not generate a profit. Customers will NOT be able to recycle electronics for free. Anyone regardless of place of residence will be able to use the recycling center assuming fees are paid in full. Acceptable materials include:

• Televisions
• Computers & Accessories
• Mobile Devices
• Entertainment Equipment
• Office Equipment
• Data Center Equipment
• Cable Equipment

The facility will be located on County property off Claremont Road in Carlisle.  The current plan is for the facility to be open two days per week and at least two Saturdays per month to start with hours running from late afternoon to early evening during the week and during the morning on the selected Saturdays. Final operating hours and procedures will be announced as the site nears opening.   In the meantime, County personnel are busy making the necessary infrastructure improvements to operate such a facility, including renovating an old storage building and installing a portable office trailer and computerized scale system, as well as developing the site’s operational procedures.

State Problem

State legislation passed in 2010 implemented a disposal ban on televisions and various types of electronic equipment. The law required manufacturers to pay for the costs of electronics recycling to avoid consumers bearing that cost. However, the demand for electronics recycling has far outpaced the capacity of existing disposal outlets and has exceeded the amount of recycled material that manufacturers are required to recycle by law. Further, declining commodity markets have discouraged recyclers from pursuing electronics recycling contracts. As a result, many residents in various parts of the state, including Cumberland County, do not have access to recycling outlets for all of the electronics covered by the law.

While the County's recycling facility will provide a stopgap measure to address the electronics recycling issue, a comprehensive electronics legislative solution is still needed.  The County has been working with its General Assembly delegation to identify the shortfalls of the existing legislation and develop long term sustainable electronics recycling solutions.  If you have questions regarding the recycling facility, please contact the County's Recycling & Waste Authority at 717.240.6489.