That Pile of Dead Gadgets in Your Closet? Flower Mound Will Come Get It

You know the stack. The old laptop that won't boot, the TV with the cracked screen sitting in the corner of the garage, the drawer of phones two generations past their prime. Flower Mound has a way to clear all of it. You don't have to drive anywhere.

The town announced Tuesday, Oct. 27, that residents can schedule a front-door pickup for electronic waste through Republic Services, the same contractor that handles weekly trash and recycling. Household hazardous waste qualifies too.

The list of accepted e-waste is broad. On the screen side: TVs, monitors, and optical disc players like VCRs and DVD players. Computing gear runs the gamut — desktops, laptops, input devices like keyboards and mice, and output devices like scanners, printers, and copiers. Audio and communication equipment counts too: phones, fax machines, CD players, stereos, microwaves, and the cables that connect it all. The Oct. 27 announcement also included smartphones, tablets, and gaming consoles.

Here is how to get started. Fill out the online form at flowermound.gov, call Republic Services at 469.451.3713, or email FlowermoundHHW@republicservices.com. A response comes within 24 hours, excluding weekends, to nail down a pickup date. Once the date is set, Republic Services sends everything you need in the mail — a prep package containing instructions, bags, labels, and zip ties to get your items ready for collection.

On collection day, the logistics are straightforward. Items go on the front porch, visible from the street — not at the curb — by 7 a.m. on the scheduled day. Republic Services arrives between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Unlabeled items will not be collected, so use the labels from the kit.

One thing to note: some restrictions may apply, and pickup schedules may vary depending on demand. The announcement does not specify an additional fee for e-waste pickup; call Republic Services with any questions on that front.

With the holidays coming up, new devices tend to arrive and old ones need somewhere to go. Electronics carry metals and compounds that require proper processing — the landfill is not the answer. This program removes the friction of tracking down a drop-off location, which is usually what keeps old hardware in a closet for three more years.

To schedule: Visit flowermound.gov/933/Household-Hazardous-Waste-Disposal, use the online form at flowermound.gov, or call Republic Services at 469.451.3713.