City may stop disposing of residents' computers next year

The state has passed a law that will ban computers, printers and DVD players from going into landfills come next fall, and Wauwatosa officials are deciding how to comply with the rules.

Public Works Director William Kappel recommended on Tuesday that the city not become a "collector" of electronic devices because it would mean paying more recycling fees to Waste Management.

He instead suggested referring residents to businesses and organizations that would take the devices and recycle them at no cost to the residents. The Budget & Finance Committee supported that decision, but changes to the city's existing ordinance would need to be made.

At this point, residents can put electronics in their garbage carts or drop them off at the public works yard. Those items go into a landfill and the city is charged a per-ton dumping fee. Changing the city's ordinance would put an end to the city's electronics collection.