Have unwanted electronics? There is now a place to take them for free in Franklin County

Do you have an old tube TV you've been wanting to trash, but you've been struggling to find a way to get rid of it responsibly?

There are options for getting rid of old electronics in Franklin County, but they all have limitations.

Now, there is a place in the center of the county where anyone can drop off old and unwanted electronics of any sort, for free.

The Chambersburg Goodwill Store and Donation Center, 1021 Wayne Ave., is now accepting e-waste through an initiative by Goodwill Keystone Area and Reworld, a company focused on sustainable waste solutions.

Goodwill will sell working items in-store; Reworld will recycle electronics that are broken or at the end of their working lives and can't be sold in stores.

"In partnership with Reworld, we're flipping the switch on e-waste recycling," Goodwill Keystone Area President and CEO Ed Lada, Jr. said in a news release. "This free program empowers residents across Goodwill's 22-county footprint to responsibly donate a broad array of old electronics at any of our drop-off locations seven days a week. Donors can now take comfort knowing they have a convenient way of contributing to waste-reduction efforts and are helping to bolster Goodwill Keystone's mission to advance sustainability in our communities."

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What items can be dropped off at Goodwill?

The program accepts all kinds of electronics, including TVs, computers, telephones, mobile devices, video gaming consoles, kitchen appliances, vacuums and more.

Goodwill and Reworld have a goal to collect half a million pounds of electronic waste within the first year of the program, which kicked off on May 7.

In addition, Goodwill hopes the program will also encourage people to donate other gently used items typically found in its stores, such as clothing, books and household items.

Is this e-recycling program available at all Goodwills?

No, the program is only in place at Goodwill locations run by Goodwill Keystone Area.

The Chambersburg store is the only local Goodwill that is participating. Goodwill Keystone Area locations are located in the eastern half of the state; the Chambersburg store is the most western location.

Hanover is also home to a participating store.

The Greencastle Goodwill is part of Horizon Goodwill Industries, as is the location in Hagerstown, Md.

What are other e-recycling programs in Franklin County?

There is only one ongoing electronics recycling program in Franklin County, at the Washington Township Recycling and Refuse Transfer Station, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. You do not need to be a township resident to use it, but you must bring at least 30 pounds of items -- at 50 cents per pound, or $15 minimum -- to use the service.

Washington Township only accepts e-recycling on Fridays and the first Saturday of each month.

Some municipalities, including the Borough of Chambersburg, host seasonal electronic waste collection days that are limited to residents. The borough only accepts two items per resident at its event.

The story is similar around Pennsylvania.

"In 2023, Pennsylvania had only nine e-waste recycling sites that would accept any electronic device for recycling at no cost, without limitations. The new program at Goodwill Keystone Area now includes 22 counties at 42 locations, approximately 45 percent of the Pennsylvania population," said Robert Bylone, president and CEO, Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center, in a news release.

Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.

This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Goodwill's free electronics recycling program open in Franklin County