Earth Day E-Cycling

media release: DANEnet, a Madison-based tech support nonprofit, is teaming up with Cascade Asset Management and the Wisconsin Medical Project to host an Earth Day E-Cycling Event on Tuesday, April 22, from 8:00am-1:00pm at Alliant Energy Center parking lot (must enter from Rimrock Road). This event will provide members of the public an opportunity to responsibly recycle computers, tablets, cellphones, and other tech devices as well as used wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and other assistive equipment.

All technology will be securely wiped of data before being reused or recycled. Working computers may be refurbished and resold to raise funds for DANEnet’s Digital Equity Project or distributed to low-income households without computers, while all unusable devices will be disassembled, sorted, and separated to extract raw materials for safe recycling/disposal.

• The following tech devices will be collected: personal computers, laptops, computer devices and monitors, TVs, smart watches, tablets, and cellphones. 
• Do not bring appliances, copiers, fax machines, medical tech devices, or any tech devices from businesses.  

“According to the 2023 Census, over 14,000 households in Dane County don’t have a computer,” says Shawn Steen, Executive Director of DANEnet. “This means they have barriers accessing job opportunities, school or training, healthcare –and for many of our seniors, veterans, and rural families it means isolation on top of limited access to crucial resources. We’re working to change that!”

The Wisconsin Medical Project (WMP) provides donated medical equipment to clinics in Cuba and several African countries, as well as Madison-area organizations. Volunteers collect, sort, and inventory the donations, make sure that the equipment works well and refurbish it if necessary, and pack the donations onto 40-foot containers for shipment locally or worldwide.

• The following patient care items will be collected: used and new wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, commodes, and rollators.

While this collection event is only for Dane County residents’ personal tech devices, businesses can also support digital equity work in our area by hosting a tech recycling event or setting up regular business equipment recycling through Cascade Asset Management and making DANEnet the beneficiary. For more information, visit www.danenet.org. 

About DANEnet: DANEnet is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make information technology accessible and affordable through education and services for fellow nonprofit organizations and individuals with barriers. Our vision is to make Dane County the most connected place for everyone. danenet.org 

About Cascade Asset Management: Since 1999, Cascade Asset Management has provided comprehensive IT equipment retirement services for businesses, institutions, and municipalities across the country. A privately-held, family-run company, Cascade operates full-scale processing facilities in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Florida, collecting and testing tens of thousands of devices each month. cascade-assets.com 

About Wisconsin Medical Project: The Wisconsin Medical Project (WMP) provides donated medical equipment and supplies to hospitals and clinics in areas of great need, including Cuba, several African countries and in the Madison area.  Volunteers collect, sort, and inventory the donations, make sure that the equipment works well and refurbish it if necessary, and pack the donations for shipment. wismedproject.org-