Berkshire Athenaeum Wants To Help Recycle Your Old Computer

Well, it'll be here before you know it. Happy bEARTHday!! That's right, Earth Day is coming up on Thursday, April 22 and in observance of that, Pittsfield's public library will host a computer recycling collection starting Tuesday, April 20, through Friday, April 30.

The Berkshire Athenaeum, in partnership with Goodwill Industries of the Berkshires and Southern Vermont, wants to help you recycle your old or broken computers.

According to a press release from the Berkshire Athenaeum, the event is part of the Dell-Reconnect residential recycling program, an initiative that works in partnership with the Goodwill.

It's not just computers, however. Items that are being accepted include monitors, scanners, printers, keyboards, computer mice, computers, hard drives, ink and toner cartridges, laptop batteries, speakers, cords, and cables. They will not be accepting television sets.

Autumn Mawhinney, Technical Services Supervisor, had this to say about the recycling collection event:

Cleaning your home of outdated technology and disposing of these items responsibly is a great way to celebrate Earth Day. This collection has become something of an annual tradition for the athenaeum and we're excited to partner with Goodwill to offer it again this year.

The Dell-Reconnect program was established in 2004. Trained staff in 44 states sort and process collected equipment that is picked up and recycled by Dell. Revenue from Dell’s program supports Goodwill’s employment placement and job training services.

Here's an impressive number. Since July 2018, over 73,000 pounds of computer equipment has been recycled thanks to the Dell-Reconnect partnership with four Berkshire County Goodwill stores.

You can drop off unwanted items to be recycled during regular library hours in the designated bin near the Wendell Avenue entrance to the Athenaeum. For library hours, visit the Berkshire Athenaeum's website here.

VERY IMPORTANT! Keep in mind that neither Dell nor the Berkshire Athenaeum is liable for data removal or protection, so before you drop off those devices, please make sure that all personal data has been removed.

For more information about the computer recycling event, you can call 413-499-9480 or you can email info@pittsfieldlibrary.org.

Earth Day 2021! And as I say every year on April 22, "Keep the Earth clean, it's not Uranus."