Updated March 13, 2026 – The first Redwood Materials’ SMART bin arrived recently at the lobby of Building A at Washoe County’s Administrative Complex (1001 E. 9th st., Reno NV 89512 – at the corner of 9th and Wells). The patented bin is the result of a partnership between Washoe County, Redwood Materials and UNR’s Tech Hub to improve safety and support the creation of a domestic battery supply chain – Nevada’s Lithium Loop – by recycling lithium and other valuable metals from end-of-life rechargeable devices in people’s homes: Phones, air pods, laptops, cordless tools, etc.
The now-patented bins are wifi-enabled with heat and activity sensors, with a fire-suppression system to prevent fires. They will lead to safer containment, transportation and recovery of valuable strategic minerals that would otherwise become toxic waste. And the more lithium and other critical minerals we can recycle, the less we’ll have to mine, reducing air and water pollution, disrupted wildlife habitat, and impacts to Indigenous and other local communities.
The County is currently working to place more bins in more facilities and will make is expected in public buildings early 2026, with up to 10 bins at County facilities and 10 more statewide. This post will be updated with additional locations once the bins are in place.