Ewing and Rachio launch controller recycling pilot program in select areas

Ewing and Rachio, a leader in Wi-Fi enabled smart sprinkler controllers, launched a controller recycling program in central Colorado and the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas, area this week in an effort to benefit the environment and help contractors find better ways to keep up with the trend toward replacing controllers with more efficient and fully featured ones.

When an old controller is replaced with a new one, it is often thrown away to sit in a landfill. Through this program, controllers will be recycled through a partnership with Blue Star Recyclers.

“We are proud to bring this program to our customers as a way to create a more sustainable irrigation industry,” said Warren Gorowitz, Ewing’s Vice President of Sustainability.

By partnering with Rachio, Ewing is able to provide customers with another advantage: controller recycling for any controller. When replacing or upgrading to a new controller, simply bring the old one in to a Ewing location.

“Rachio is excited to partner with Ewing Irrigation on this initiative,” said Brian Ewing, Vice President of Sales at Rachio. “Every year, hundreds of thousands of controllers are improperly disposed of in local landfills, given there is no easy way for proper disposal. With the replacement rate in the industry accelerating given the massive shift to Wi-Fi controllers, Rachio wants to play a leadership role in making sure we handle this change in a responsible way.”

Less than 20 percent of electronic waste is recycled, and much of this type of waste is sitting in landfills. The toxic chemicals used in electronics can leach into groundwater or escape into the atmosphere in traditional landfills. Blue Star Recyclers provides a solution to recycle more e-scrap.

Blue Star Recyclers is a Colorado-based non-profit founded in 2009 to recycle electronics and other materials, while creating jobs for people with autism and other disabilities. Blue Star Recyclers now employs 30 people with disabilities.

To recycle your old controller, contact your participating Ewing Colorado or Dallas location for drop-off information.