There's a new way to safely dispose of those pesky and outdated electronics you've been holding onto in Denver — thanks to a New York startup and Big Tech.
Apple, Amazon, Dell Technologies, Google and Microsoft have joined forces to create a pilot program for the collection and recycling of electronics like cell phones and computers in the City and County of Denver. They've teamed up with New York-based Retrievr, which describes its services as combining "the power of technology with the marketing reach of brands to make it easy for people to return value to their unwanted electronics, right from their door."
“We’re thrilled to be able to partner with some of the biggest names in tech to launch this pilot," Retrievr CEO Kabira Stokes said in a press release. "We all agreed that we are far more likely to solve the critical environmental issue of e-waste if we work together, and the brands have really stepped up to support this mission."
"E-waste" is a term used most often to describe discarded, donated or recycled electronics, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These products often contain dangerous chemicals like lead, arsenic and mercury, which can leach into the environment or harm people paid to harvest valuable materials found inside the devices — typically in developing nations where the U.S. sends much of its recyclable waste.
Despite its reputation as an environmentally conscious state, Colorado is pretty bad at recycling, diverting just 15.3% of its waste away from landfills — about half of the national average of 32%, according to a recent analysis by nonprofit recycler Eco-Cycle and the nonprofit Colorado Public Interest Research Group. Of that 15.3%, 10.8% goes to recycling while 4.5% is composted, according to the study.
The state of waste is so bad that environmental groups are attempting to convince state legislators to introduce new fees on packaged-good companies that would support the expansion of recycling programs within the state.
Retrievr's services, which are available today, "will be free for all Denver residents for a limited time," the release said, crediting the generosity of the Big Tech sponsors.
"The amount of time that subsidization will run will all depend on the level of participation, but we expect it to run for the next few months at least," Retrievr told Colorado Inno through a spokesperson, pointing to its FAQ that lists its current fee structure. Retrievr's services start with a base fee of $20 and the company charges more fees "for items that are particularly hard to collect or dispose of." That includes things like computer monitors and televisions, it said.
“Having this service launch in Denver is a great way to give our residents a new way to recycle their old electronics all while boosting our city’s diversion rate,” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock said in a news release. Retrievr told Inno that it's working with both Denver and the City Council to spread the word about the program. “Recycling is an easy but critical action we all can take to reverse the effects of climate change and lower our greenhouse gas emissions, and I encourage everyone in Denver to take advantage of this new service.”
To use Retrievr's services, customers can go to the company's website, fill out a quick registration and then request a pickup. Retrievr says it is an e-Stewards Enterprise and that each device collected by it "will be processed through a secure chain of custody where each item is tracked until the end of its life."
E-Stewards calls itself "a global team of individuals, institutions, businesses, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies upholding a safe, ethical, and globally responsible standard for e-waste recycling and refurbishment." It also works to stop the export of e-waste to developing nations.
Retrievr told Inno it is partnered with Denver-based nonprofit BlueStar Recyclers, another E-Stewards-certified organization that hires Coloradans with disabilities.
Retrievr was incubated by New York investment firm Closed Loop Partners, according to the release. It says it currently also provides its services in the Philadelphia area, reaching more than 1 million homes.
