Twin Cities electronic waste recycler Tech Dump is expanding its footprint nationally with the acquisition of Scrubb.IT, a mail-in electronics recycling program, the companies announced Wednesday.
Scrubb customers can purchase a customized postage label for $25 to mail in their unwanted electronics, which covers the cost of shipping up to 30 pounds of electronics. Customers can recycle items like cell phones, tablets, laptops, power cords and printers.
St. Paul-based Scrubb was launched by a group of local tech entrepreneurs that includes Software for Good founder Casey Helbling, as well as Ben Bowman and David Mitchell. Scrubb has worked with Tech Dump since 2014, when it got involved as the company's recycling provider.
Scrubb is Tech Dump's first acquisition. Both parties declined to disclose terms of the deal.
In a release, Tech Dump said that by adding Scrubb, it hopes to assist those who live in more remote areas, have mobility issues or time constraints that may inhibit their ability to get items to e-recyclers.
Tech Dump currently has two locations in St. Paul and Golden Valley, where customers can drop off their unwanted electronics Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The acquisition of Scrubb is the latest move for Tech Dump and CEO Amanda LaGrange. Last fall, Tech Dump purchased a 90,000 square-foot building in St. Paul with plans to open a facility there in March 2019. Tech Dump also plans to double its staff by 2022.
In addition to recycling unwanted electronics, Tech Dump provides jobs and training to people with barriers to employment, such as incarceration or chemical dependency. The social enterprise also runs Tech Discounts, a store which sells refurbished electronics.
Tech Dump says that it has recycled more than 12,500 tons of electronic waste to date.
