A pile of discarded televisions and computer monitors outside a rural Michigan home reached almost 20 feet before a fire destroyed the property and killed the 81-year-old collector.

What happened?

As MLive reported, William Harris spent years gathering old televisions, computer monitors, and electronics at his residence in Daggett Township, located in Menominee County. 

The mountain of devices became so large that road crews had to clear it from the pavement, earning the nickname "TV Land" from people nearby.

After retiring from truck driving, Harris began taking in unwanted electronics to supplement his retirement income. He would take apart the devices to sell what he could salvage, but new arrivals outpaced his ability to process them.

A November 2021 fire began in Harris's basement and consumed his mobile home. The flames turned the nearby electronics into melted wreckage. First responders used over 135,000 gallons of water to extinguish the blaze and spent five hours locating Harris's remains.

"When I first got to the site, it was piled up so high you couldn't even tell there was a house behind it," said Steve Noble, the Michigan Department of Environment's electronics recycling coordinator, per MLive.

Why is electronic waste a problem?

Discarded electronics pollute differently than plastic or typical garbage. Older television screens use glass with high lead content, while some display types include mercury. Burning or dumping these items releases poisons that contaminate dirt and drinking water.

The money wasted matters just as much. Making a phone or computer requires mining rare earth elements, manufacturing batteries, and assembling thousands of parts. Throwing away functional or fixable devices means all that work and expense goes nowhere.

Michigan allows electronics in landfills, even though the parts could be reused. Worldwide, recycling efforts capture less than 23% of electronic waste, according to United Nations data.

What is Michigan doing about this?

A 2008 Michigan law makes device makers offer no-cost recycling through collection points or mail-back programs. The state's website lists available options.

How do you usually dispose of your old electronics? Throw them away 🗑️ Donate them 📱 Sell them for cash 💵 Store them at home 🏠 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

However, the 2008 law includes gaps. Manufacturers face no mandatory collection targets, allowing them to prioritize cities and neglect isolated areas.

Officials spent $250,000 cleaning the Harris site, with the work finishing in spring 2025. Workers recycled roughly 45,000 pounds of television sets and sent the remaining debris to landfills or specialized waste facilities.

EGLE has grown its electronics drop-off network throughout the Upper Peninsula. The region had just one drop-off spot in Escanaba when Harris began his collecting. Today, 14 locations accept old devices.

What's being done about electronic waste more broadly?

Check manufacturer websites for no-cost return programs if you need to discard electronics. Many accept items through the mail or work with stores for local drop-off.

Otherwise, try repairing, donating, or reselling devices before throwing them away. Functional equipment helps nonprofit groups and extends product lifespans.

Call your state legislators about improving electronics recycling rules. You can also advocate for laws requiring equal access in urban and rural areas, and bans on landfill disposal to safeguard water and soil.

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