Recycling Used Electronics

Jan 13, 2010 | Waste Management

An electronic waste collection area awaiting sorting.

Snapshot

Electronic waste-or "e-waste"-is discarded electronic appliances such as cellular phones, computers, mechanical toys, kitchen appliances, computer peripherals, modems, fax machines, DVD players, stereos, lights, and TVs-anything that's plugged in or battery powered. Americans produce tons of electronic waste every day, especially as phones, TVs, and computers are quickly updated and new products enter the market.

Too often, these gizmos end up in landfills where they leach heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, and mercury, into the environment. Or they are incinerated-and their harmful components end up in the atmosphere. More recently, they have been exported to Asia to be dismantled-but not always in a healthful way.

Computer monitors and TVs contain cathode ray tubes, or CRTs. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, about 4 pounds of lead and other harmful materials are in the average computer monitors and TVs, requiring these to be treated as hazardous waste that can't be casually buried.

Today, you can more easily sell, donate, reuse, or recycle these devices.

Sell them

If your electronics still work, someone out there might need just what you have. While you might need more computer processor speed for your computer games and video editing, your neighbors might find your old computer just fine for their word processing and Internet needs. What's key is to be specific in describing the functionality of your computer, cell phone, and other devices.

• Advertise it. Try selling it for a low cost using your local newspaper's classified ads or online free classified ads (Craigslist.org, Kijiji.com, etc.)

• Sell it online. Some firms will buy your electronics and pay for shipping. Check out BuyMyTronics.com and RapidRepair.com as well as other online firms that might give you immediate quotes on what they'll pay for your reusable electronics.

• Yard sale it. It's harder to find a buyer for specific electronics this way, but yard sales allow potential buyers to try before buying and ask questions about it.

Donate them

If your device is working, tape a sign on it that details its condition, model number, and even what you think it's good for. Do not leave your unwanted devices on your sidewalk, unless you are sure they will not be ruined before someone will take them.

• Advertise it as a freebie: You might be able to advertise it free in your local paper. Many online classifieds are free. A tinkerer or computer refurbisher might want your electronics.

• Donate it to schools or local nonprofits. But contact them first. Most organizations won't want your 10-year-old computer or mobile phone but they might make good use of recent models, photocopiers, and printers. Many charities accept old cell phones. They activate them and give them to people, such as abused women, who might need ready access to emergency services.

• Donate it to charities such as Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul, and Salvation Army-but only if they expressly receive computers and electronics.
In many of its facilities, Goodwill Donation Centers accept computers, laptops, televisions, networking equipment, and cell phones, working or not. Goodwill will sort the electronics for reuse and recycling. Usable electronics will be data cleansed, refurbished, and loaded with a legal operating system for resale in Goodwill stores. Older electronics will be de-manufactured and recycled. What's more, they might give you a receipt to use to support your tax deductions.

Recycle it

Electronics are refurbished and reused or they are dismantled and their plastic and metal parts recycled. Glass screens are melted or crushed and used in road asphalt and other fill.

• Mail it. Some companies accept shipments of e-waste free of charge for some communities. Check out organizations such as EcycleEnvironmental.com and TakeBackMyTV.com for options.

• Post a flyer on free community bulletin boards detailing the item and showing a photo of the item.

• Call your town offices, your transfer station, or your local solid waste district to find out about local recycling options. Many municipalities have an e-waste dropoff day. Yes, you might have to pay by the pound to dispose of your e-waste this way, but consider it an investment in the health of you and your fellow humans.

• Get it picked up. Your waste collector might pick up your electronics free of charge.

• Return it to the supplier or manufacturer. Some electronics companies such as Sony, Samsung, Dell, HP, Toshiba, Apple, Panasonic, Apple, Gateway, and LG offer takeback programs, some free and some for a charge. Best Buy stores take back many electronics. Contact your local electronics supplier for options.

Buy smarter

More manufacturers will sell healthfully produced and recyclable products if we, their customers, demand them and buy them. Vote with your dollar. Look for products stating they are made with low-toxic materials and made by labor working in fair conditions and for fair wages.

• Buy electronics made of recyclable materials and components. Cisco, Dell, HP, Motorola, Nokia, Research In Motion, Sprint Nextel, and Vodafone have been identified by Pike Research as responsible companies building more recyclability into their products through both material choice and ease of dismantling. Look for the Energy Star label to determine if the device qualifies as energy efficient by this U.S. federal program.

• Choose EPEAT products. EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's guideline to help institutional purchasers evaluate and select laptops, desktop computers, and monitors according to a list of preferred environmental attributes. Look for EPEAT on product labels when shopping.

Reduce

• Rent and borrow. According to Greenpeace International, it takes about 600 pounds of fossil fuels and chemicals to create the chips for one personal computer. Around 70 pounds of water are used to rinse out impurities in a single chip. Do you really need to own all electronics you're considering? You can rent tools and even TVs from rental services. A friend will likely lend you a stereo system for a party. Acquire wisely!

• Maintain and repair whenever possible. So you find out your TV will cost the same to repair than to replace. Wouldn't you feel good knowing you are supporting your local TV repair shop? Take care of electronics by shutting them down when not in use and keeping them away from dust and other clogging agents.

Taking as much care in disposing and recycling of electronics as you did in acquiring them helps divert toxic detritus from where it can leach into water and soil. It also creates markets for recyclable and reused components.

Take action!

Recycle used electronics

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