Government · Drop-off · Paid
E-Cycle Wisconsin
The statewide scheme for computers, televisions, printers and consoles, manufacturer-funded, landfill-banned, and, despite all that, usually not free when you turn up.
Right for you if
- It has a screen or a plug, and you have phoned ahead to ask the price.
- You can get it there under your own steam.
- You want to turn up without booking.
Look elsewhere if
- You need it free.
- You want a fixed price before you commit.
- You have no way of getting it there.
- It is business waste.
Contact and booking
- Phone
- Not published
- Not published
- Book online
- Booking page
- Address
- Not published
- Opening hours
- Not published
- Website
- Official website
Verification
Verified against an official source
Last checked 18 August 2026
That means we read a published source and it said this. It does not mean we watched them do it, or followed the material afterwards, that is a separate, deeper check this has not been through. How we check →
Sources
Part of How to get rid of stuff in Madison.
Why use it
Wisconsin bans these from landfill and incineration, so this is the route whether or not you like the price. "Manufacturer-funded" is the phrase that misleads people: the DNR says plainly that "recycling fees vary between sites", so ring ahead and ask what a television will cost before you drive there. Households and K-12 schools are eligible; businesses are not. It covers computers, monitors, TVs and video display devices, printers, DVD and VCR players, fax machines, phones and games consoles.
Good for
- electronics
How it works
| How you use it | You take it there. |
|---|---|
| Cost | Manufacturer-funded, but usually NOT free at the counter. The DNR's own wording: "Recycling fees vary between sites and calling ahead can help determine the total cost of recycling your electronics." |
| Booking | No appointment needed. |
| Service area | Wisconsin |
| Run by | Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, a government programme |
Where your things go
A named destination is worth more than a stated intention, and both are worth more than silence. This is the row to read before you book: if your item's row is empty, ask them on the phone and tell us what they say.
- ✓ Named destination
- ~ Stated, not named
- ? Nothing published
- Tell us what you were told →
Does it actually work
The part no company website tells you. Some of this comes from our checks, some from readers who used the service, and where nobody has told us yet, it says so.
-
Booking
Needs reports
No appointment needed.
The DNR runs a registry, not a collection service. Booking is per collection site. The shinyapps collector locator at wisconsindnr.shinyapps.io/EcycleCollectorSite may carry per-site detail.
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Typical wait
Needs reports
Not established
No turnaround published for a statewide registry. Would need per-collector data.
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Do they answer
Their pages
Yes. DNR customer service 1-888-936-7463, 07:00-22:00; E-Cycle programme line 608-590-7506.
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Restrictions
Their pages
Fees and acceptance vary by site; the programme itself sets no free-at-the-door guarantee.
Households only · Not for business waste
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Who it's for
Their pages
Wisconsin individuals and K-12 schools. Businesses excluded from the programme, though still bound by the disposal ban.
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Last checked
Pipeline
18 August 2026
Checked against the sources listed on this page.
Where donated things land
The organisations this operator names. The linked ones have profiles here; the rest are named on their pages and not yet checked by us.
- registered E-Cycle Wisconsin collectors and recyclers Named on their pages, not yet checked
What happens to it
- Recycled
- Broken down for materials
This describes the route the item takes, as the operator states it. We do not claim a recovery rate we have not seen evidence for.
What readers told us
Used them recently?
How long you waited, what they refused, whether anyone picked up the phone. Those are the three facts no website publishes and the ones the next reader needs.
Alternatives in Madison
Other places that will take things off your hands.
-
Reuse
Buy Nothing Project
Buy Nothing Project
- Takes
- furniture, appliances, electronics, books, and 4 more
- Where
- Neighbourhood groups across the US and beyond
- Booking
- By appointment
-
Reuse
The Salvation Army donation pickup
The Salvation Army
- Takes
- furniture, appliances, electronics, clothes, and 5 more
- Where
- Nationwide
- Booking
- Book online
-
Municipal
Madison drop-off sites and large item collection
City of Madison Streets Division
- Takes
- furniture, mattresses, appliances, electronics, and 2 more
- Wait
- Collected during the work week following your chosen set-out Sunday. Holidays, leaf collection and storms can delay it.
- Where
- Sycamore (east)
- Booking
- Book online
View → Checked 18 Aug 2026