The $25 drop-off fee for certain e-waste recycling at the Idyllwild Transfer Station remains in place, according to Mike Williams of Waste Management Inc., who operates the station, and John Watkins, deputy director, Environmental Protection and Oversight, Riverside County Department of Environmental Health.

Reasons cited include legislation that does not prohibit collection of the fees if net costs of the recycler exceed collected state fees from manufacturers through Cal Recycle.

Said Williams, “Costs to collect, package and transport e-waste from the mountain communities to recycling processors [in the greater Orange County/LA County basin] are significant. The $25 fee at the gate helps offset these costs. We should also keep in mind that residents in the mountain communities are not bound to depositing their e-waste at the WM facilities. Residents are welcome to haul their materials down the Hill to other facilities, which could avoid the mountain fee.”

Further questions may be addressed to Watkins at [email protected] or Williams at [email protected].