TAMPA, Fla. — Cleanup after back-to-back hurricanes hasn’t ended, and one thing to keep in mind as you throw out those items is damaged electronics. eSmart Recycling in Tampa says it is encouraging residents to recycle those items instead of setting them out on the curb.

What You Need To Know

  • The company says it is seeing an increase of technology drop offs post hurricanes

Some say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. That’s certainly true for eSmart Recycling owner Tony Selvaggio.

“We have the most random electronics you can imagine,” he said of the electronics that are recycled through his company.

These days he’s even busier than usual. His company recycles technology at a corporate and residential level.

Selvaggio says after back-to-back hurricanes he’s been delayed on his pickups, and the number of electronics he’s had to pick up has increased.

Over the past several weeks, he’s spotted a lot of damaged technology from the hurricanes.

“When you start to see rusty things like that and when you see these marks, these can be water damage related,” he said.

Although it’s a lot of work, he’s relieved so many people are recycling their electronics. The World Health Organization reports e-waste is one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world.

For Selvaggio, he says recycling items instead of dumping them in the trash can make a big difference for the environment.

“These will end up either in the landfill contaminating the soil, wasteful energy plants contaminating the air or they’re going to be thrown away and find a way to the water and contaminate the water,” he said.

The company has 15 drop off locations throughout Hillsborough County. Once a pickup is done, it’s back to the warehouse to unload.

Then items that were brought in go through a testing phase to weed out the computers that are salvageable and others that will be used for their parts.

“Even if a laptop like this got water damage, still some components of it can be recoverable like the RAM or the solve safe drive or even the battery, it depends,” he said.

If you donate your used electronics, the company also has a QR code you can scan to learn about the recycling process of your items.

Selvaggio says it’s a way to inspire others to recycle their electronics.

“Whatever it is, laptops, batteries. If it has a plug or switch or a battery, we can take it here,” he said.

eSmart Recycling says it has been able to refurbish around 4,000 computers so far. Those computers are distributed to students thanks to partnerships with schools and community organizations.