Sage Sustainable Electronics is capable of effectively and safely processing most information technology equipment and office electronics. There is some equipment that we cannot or chooses not to process because it poses environmental, health, safety, legal or other concerns. We call these items “nonconforming materials or NCM.” We are also able to process certain electronic medical equipment and industrial equipment when the items meet our Acceptance Guidelines for Healthcare Clients.

ITEMS SAGE CANNOT ACCEPT

• Blades: anything with sharp cutting edges used in knives, box cutters, utility knives, swords, and similar devices
• Building materials (wood, ceiling tiles, drywall, concrete, paint, etc.): The substances and products used to create, enclose, and finish structures. They can be grouped by function (structural, enclosure, insulation, service rough-ins, and finishes) and include both natural and manufactured products.
• Capacitors that are not installed inside a device, machine, or other equipment and are being transported separately. This means the capacitor is being shipped as a standalone unit, not as part of a larger system or device.
• Chemicals: cleaners, pest control products, etc.
• Compressed gas cylinders or pressurized containers: aerosols, tanks, or any closed vessel designed to store gases at pressures significantly above atmospheric pressure
• Currency or other monetary items: checks, bank cards, or money orders
• DDR batteries (unless properly packaged): damaged Li-ion batteries will be swollen, burnt, smoking, or show other signs of physical damage. These may be unsafe for anyone to handle because they can ignite.
• Equipment with evidence of biological contamination: medical or other IT equipment with a bloodborne pathogen exposure risk that has not been decontaminated on its surface, or anything in a biohazard bag
• Explosives: any chemical compound, mixture, or device with the primary or common purpose of which is to function by explosion. The term includes, but is not limited to, black powder, pellet powder, initiating explosives, ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) mixtures, safety fuses, squibs, mixed binary explosives, and igniters.
• Flammable solids: sulfur, magnesium, naphthalene/moth balls, or any solid which is readily combustible or may cause or contribute to fire through friction. They can be powdered, granular, or pasty chemicals which can be ignited after brief contact with an ignition source and the flame spreads rapidly.
• Garbage: rubbish or waste, especially domestic refuse
• Household items other than microwaves: small appliances, furniture, lawn care tools, toys, tires, etc. as well as any refrigerant, freon and coolant containing devices.
• Insects or animals – live or dead: spider, roach, tick, mice, raccoons, snakes, etc.
• Liquids of all types, including those marked flammable: any substance that flows freely but is of constant volume, having a consistency like that of water or oil. This includes vapes and e-cigs containing liquids (nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, and other chemicals that are regulated as hazardous or controlled substances.
• Medical waste, including used/open sharps: healthcare waste that may contain blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious substances
• Unused sharps in sealed packaging: needles, syringes, or other sharp medical devices that have not been used for injection, aspiration, or other medical procedures, but are still in a condition where they could be safely used if accessed
• Mercury-containing equipment: any device or part of a device (including thermostats) that contains elemental mercury integral to its function
• PCB-containing materials: any substances, products, or components that have detectable levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as a result of their manufacture, processing, or use before the U.S. ban on PCB production in 1979
• Pharmaceuticals: this includes medicinal or recreational drugs
• Radioactive materials, including smoke detectors: any materials emitting or relating to the emission of ionizing radiation or particles
• Solar panels: a panel designed to absorb the sun’s rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating
• Suspicious or suspect equipment: personal electronic devices, intimate use electronic devices, containers with fluid leakage, etc. These items may contain biohazard concerns.
• Weapons and ammunition: weapons are defined broadly as any device, instrument, material, or substance (animate or inanimate) that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury. Ammunition refers to the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system to have an effect on a target, usually lethal.

For additional information, contact us at info@sagese.com.