Dell and its Social Good Advocate, Adrian Grenier, team up with Goodwill and Uber to break down the barriers to recycling used technology in honor of America Recycles Day

( BUSINESS WIRE )-- To mark America Recycles Day , Dell and its Social Good Advocate, Adrian Grenier , are joining with Uber and Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey (Goodwill NYNJ) to help people in New York City properly recycle used technology and keep it from joining the millions of pounds of e-waste that is improperly recycled each year. On Saturday, Nov. 14, drivers on the Uber network will provide free pickups of used electronics in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens courtesy of Dell. Drivers on the Uber network will transport items to Goodwill NYNJ’s donation centers across the city where they will be recycled through the Dell Reconnect program.

According to a United Nations University report, the world produced 41.8 million tons of e-waste in 2014, with less than one-sixth of it being properly recycled, leading to toxic chemicals going into landfills and polluting our environment. Proper recycling of technology is especially challenging in cities like New York, where mass transit is a primary form of travel, making transporting a used computer to a drop-off location difficult.

Dell is working to change how people view used electronics through global takeback programs and the implementation of a closed-loop system that integrates recycled e-waste plastics into new products. To help encourage everyone to take advantage of the day, a native New Yorker and Dell Social Good Advocate, Adrian Grenier, will recycle his used technology and Uber around New York to thank people for responsibly disposing their computers.

“We all need to do our part to keep our environment and homes clean and healthy,” said Grenier, actor, producer and Dell Social Good Advocate. “The NYC Tech Takeback makes electronics recycling easier and helps New Yorkers to rid their homes of dusty old tech while doing something good for our planet. Why wouldn’t you want to participate?”

On Nov. 14 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., residents of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn can take part in NYC Tech Takeback by opening the Uber app, entering the promo code TECHTAKEBACK and requesting an on-demand pickup at their home or office. A driver will collect the used technology and transport it to a Goodwill NYNJ location for recycling. All technology drop-offs are free. Participants must wipe all electronics clear of data prior to donation.

“When safeguarding the environment is as easy as requesting an Uber ride, the choice is a simple one,” said Josh Mohrer, Uber NYC General Manager. “Uber is honored to partner with Dell and Goodwill to help New Yorkers dispose of their electronic waste in an environmentally-conscious way.”

Dell Reconnect

NYC Tech Takeback is powered by Dell Reconnect , a program that collects any brand of used electronics in any condition for recycling at more than 2,000 Goodwill locations across the United States. The program makes disposing of used technology easy and free while providing a tax deduction to donors and ensuring that their used electronics will be recycled (and in some locations reused or refurbished) responsibly from landfills. All proceeds from donated devices go directly to Goodwill, with each donation helping people with disadvantages and disabilities through job training, employment placement and technology skills development through Dell-sponsored programs in their local communities. Since the program began in 2004, Dell Reconnect has diverted more than 427 million pounds of used electronics from landfills.

“Goodwill encourages people to repurpose the clothing they no longer need and responsibly recycle unwanted electronics,” said Mauricio Hernandez, executive vice president, business operations for Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey (Goodwill NYNJ). “When residents donate to Goodwill the items they no longer need, they support our mission of empowering individuals with disabilities and other barriers to employment to gain independence through the power of work. In 2014, Goodwill NYNJ diverted more than 112 million pounds of unwanted goods out of landfills, including 2.5 million pounds of electronics.”

Recycled computers are disassembled and the materials are integrated into new Dell products as part of the company’s circular economy initiative and closed-loop recycling program. Since 2014, Dell has recycled 4.2 million pounds of e-waste plastics back into new Dell products. These closed-loop plastics are used in 31 monitor models and three Dell desktop systems available globally.

“Reducing the impact our technology has on the environment is a priority for Dell. One of the best ways to accomplish that is by encouraging proper recycling of electronics and informing people of how easy it is for them to give their computers a second-life once they are done with it,” said Deborah Sanders, director of global takeback, Dell. “We are constantly finding new ways to meet our 2020 goals of collecting 2 billion pounds of used electronics for recycling and reuse. Our partnership with Goodwill is a great way to achieve this while also providing support and job training tools in communities across the country.”

For a full list of Goodwill locations around the country that accept used electronic donations year-round through Dell Reconnect, visit Dell.com/Reconnect.

Additionally, Dell now offers a national consumer trade-in program that offers a dell.com gift card when customers trade-in any brand of used electronics.

About Uber

Uber is a technology platform that is revolutionizing the way people connect with their cities around the world – and creating tremendous economic opportunity for transportation providers. By connecting users with a safe, reliable and seamless ride, and with unprecedented accountability and transparency built into the system, Uber has transformed the way users think about their transportation options.

About Goodwill NYNJ

Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, offers workforce development services, youth and community programs, and retail and business opportunities. In 2014, Goodwill NYNJ provided access to opportunities to build careers and strong families to 95,000 people and helped more than 8,400 individuals to earn a job.