Mesa County commissioners unanimously voted this week to extend the electronic waste recycling contract with IT Refresh, keeping the county’s only year-round e-waste drop-off program alive through 2025.
The one-year extension, capped at $120,000, ensures residents and small businesses can continue safely disposing of old TVs, computers, printers, and other electronics at the Hazardous Waste Collection Facility in Grand Junction.
Why the Program Almost Disappeared
The current contract was set to expire December 31, 2024. Without renewal, Mesa County would have lost its only permanent e-waste collection site west of Denver.
Commissioner Cody Davis called the service “absolutely critical” during Monday’s public hearing.
“We have people driving from Montrose, Delta, even Moab just to use this facility,” Davis said. “Closing it would force illegal dumping or force residents to store hazardous waste in their garages.”
The facility has processed more than 240,000 pounds of e-waste annually since 2020, with 2024 on pace to exceed 260,000 pounds.
IT Refresh Wins Again After Competitive Process
Onsite Electronics Recycling LLC, operating as IT Refresh, has held the contract since 2015. The company beat out multiple bidders again this year.
Key advantages that secured the renewal:
- Certified R2v3 and ISO 14001 standards for responsible recycling
- Zero-landfill policy with downstream vendors audited annually
- Free data destruction services for hard drives and devices
- Local employment with 12 full-time staff at the Grand Junction facility
The new contract includes improved reporting requirements and a 3% price increase tied to fuel and labor costs, still coming in under budget projections.
Colorado’s Landfill Ban Makes Local Programs Essential
Colorado banned electronic waste from landfills in 2013. Yet many rural counties still lack collection options.
Mesa County’s program stands out as one of the most successful in western Colorado.
2024 collection numbers tell the story:
- 1,847 individual drop-offs recorded
- 312 business collections completed
- 87 tons of material diverted from illegal disposal
- 41,200 pounds of lead-containing glass processed safely
“That glass from old CRT monitors would have gone straight into someone’s backyard without this program,” said facility manager Chris Redding.
What Residents Actually Bring (And What They Can’t)
The facility accepts almost everything with a cord or battery.
Most common items dropped off in 2024:
- Flat-screen TVs (42%)
- Desktop computers and laptops (28%)
- Printers and scanners (15%)
- Cell phones and tablets (8%)
- Miscellaneous cables and small appliances (7%)
They cannot accept large appliances, light bulbs, or household batteries, which must go through separate programs.
The facility operates Thursday through Saturday, with extended hours during spring and fall cleanup seasons proving especially popular.
Community Impact Goes Beyond Numbers
Long-time resident Barbara Johnson brought three decades of electronics this spring.
“I had computers from the 90s still in my basement,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know what to do with them until I found this place. It’s peace of mind knowing they’re not going to end up in our water.”
The program has prevented an estimated 180 pounds of mercury and 42,000 pounds of lead from entering the environment since 2015.
Commissioners praised the partnership but acknowledged rising costs may force difficult decisions in future years.
“This isn’t cheap,” Commissioner Janet Rowland noted. “But protecting our groundwater and keeping toxic materials out of our community is worth every penny.”
The renewal guarantees Mesa County residents will have safe, reliable e-waste recycling options through 2025, maintaining one of western Colorado’s most important environmental protection programs.
What old electronics are you still holding onto? Share your recycling stories below, especially if you’ve used the Mesa County facility.
