Written by Bill Carlson.
As we prepare to bid farewell to Chancellor Randy Woodson, we would like to join the university in Celebrating Transformation and reflect on the positive changes that have taken place at the Materials Support Warehouse during his tenure.
Over the past 14-plus years, the warehouse has seen substantial growth in surplus property sales, property disposition services for campus departments and landfill diversion rates. As research expands and technology rapidly advances, so has the amount of old electronic equipment, commonly called e-waste. Each year at NC State, the number of computers, monitors, copiers, fax machines, printers, mobile phones, TVs and other electronic items that have become obsolete has grown. The result is a growing challenge for the campus community to reuse, recycle, repurpose or responsibly dispose of this equipment.
Reducing E-waste
The Materials Support team is rising to the challenge. The team partnered with the Waste Reduction and Recycling department to improve the disposition process for surplus property. The priority is refurbishing electronics to reuse on campus. Working with recycled materials experts, we discovered that even if a product is no longer useful in its entirety, it’s possible to recover and repurpose valuable components, such as solid-state drives, RAM and video cards. We tore down surplus computers and retrieved gold, precious metals, aluminum and copper components to recycle from the green computer boards. Working together, the two departments have built a robust collection and reclamation effort that has diverted tons of electronic waste from entering landfills, growing to 463 tons diverted during fiscal year 2024 — a 400% increase in diversion rate since 2018.
Opening the Electronics Restore
The recovery, repurpose and resale of electronics at NC State also generated funds to make this a self-supported initiative, guaranteeing the sustainability of e-waste recycling efforts for years to come. To showcase all the reclaimed and repurposed electronics, Procurement and Business Services opened an Electronics Restore at the Ligon Street warehouse in July 2021 to better serve the university community.
The Electronics Restore offers various Mac and Windows computers, monitors and RAM at incredible prices. Desktop computers and laptops are available for between $50 and $500, while computer peripherals, such as computer mice, keyboards and cords, are priced as low as $1. Thanks to a loyal clientele that includes students, staff, nonprofit organizations and state agencies, the number of electronic items reclaimed and sold has increased by over 35% since 2021. Revenue increased by 65% from fiscal year 2021 to FY2022 and has remained steady.
The Materials Support Warehouse team has continually sought ways to better serve the university community. As we develop new ideas and improve best practices, our team’s transformations reflect NC State’s commitment to progress and innovation, a cornerstone of Chancellor Woodson’s leadership.