e-Waste & IT Recycling Guidance

All Boston Public School departments and schools are required to adhere to the designated process for technology disposal and recycling outlined in this guidance. Selling, recycling, or disposal of technology through other means is strictly prohibited. Our objective is to provide comprehensive e-Waste/IT recycling solutions that prioritize stringent data security and privacy standards while emphasizing environmental stewardship and sustainability.

Focus on a Single School-Wide Cleanout
A single cleanout of all recyclable e-waste and IT streamlines transportation and logistics, reducing the need for mulitple pickups and securing contracted resources. This reduces our carbon footprint, promotes environmental stewardship, and strenthens sustainability efforts.

e-Waste/IT Recycling Process:

1) Identify a Coordinator
Designate a point of contact responsible for facilitating the collection of IT for recycling and coordinating logistics. Apart from the school/dept leader, this individual will be the sole authorized person to release custody of assets.
2) Assess & Inventory IT
Assess what technology needs to be recycled. Provide a summary of the technology, including the type of technology and quantity of each piece. We strongly recommend including a photograph, as it will aid in our logistical planning.

Requests may be postponed until an adequate stock is available. General rule of thumb would be a minimum of 10 pieces. Consumables and peripherals like keyboards, mice, cables, and toner should not be included in the count.

We strongly encourage focusing on a single school-wide cleanout.
3) Centralize Items
All items must be prepared and relocated to a centralized accessible location indoors, away from fire zones or areas that may disrupt teaching/learning or pose risks to staff/students. Kindly provide the room number/name, floor/level, and specify if stairs and/or elevator access are required to reach the technology.
4) Sort & Package
Organize the equipment into the following categories and package them as effectively as possible:
- Laptops, Desktops, Servers, Chromebooks
- Audio Visual, Projectors
- Monitors, CRTs, TVs, Displays
- Printers, Scanners, Fax Machines
- Keyboards, Mice
- Wire, Cables, Power Supplies
5) Submit a Request
Please ensure compliance with this guidance prior to submitting a Technology Recycling Request (Form 57). A representative from OIIT/BPSTechnology will reach out to coordinate logistics. Please note that major pickups will be scheduled in September, December, and May.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What Items should I AVOID recycling?
Laptops4Learning (L4L) Laptops: Please call the OIIT Service Desk at (617) 635-9200 to return/repair.
Access4All (A4A) Chromebooks: Any newer HP Chromebooks or the Access4All@HOME Chromebooks (logo etched on the top of the device) should be returned through your OIIT technician. Older models can be recycled.
What items CAN be recycled?
(*)Please verify with OIIT prior to requesting removal of these items.
Audio/Video Tapes
Digital Cameras
Cables/Adapters
Cell/Smart Phones*
Chargers/Power Cords
Computer Mice
Computer Peripherals
Copy Machine
CPUs (towers)
Data Cartridges
DLT Tapes
Docking Stations
External CD-ROM Drives
External Modems*
Fax Machines*
Floppy Drives
Gaming Systems
Hard Drives
Keyboards
LCD Flat Screens
Laptops
Main Frames*
Matrix Switches/Multiplexers*
Microwaves
Office Printers
Overhead Projectors
Palm Pilots or other Handheld Devices
Power Supplies
Reel-to-Reel Tape Decks
Scanners
Set Top Boxes
Servers*
Slide Projectors
Interactive Boards*
Small Appliances
Switches/Routers*
Tablets
Tape Drives
Telephone Systems*
Telveisions
Terminals*
Toner/Ink
Typewriters
Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)*
VCR/DVD Players
Video Recorders
Wire/Cables
Workstations

Contact the BPSTechnology Service Desk at (617) 635-9200 for questions or support.

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