How to Recycle Electronics Devices

Although many people out there know about recycling in general, there are still a lot of people who do not how to recycle electronics. There’s a difference in the way paper, glass and plastic is recycled and the way computers, televisions and printers are recycled. If you happen to be one of the many people out there who would like to become part of the solution to our worldwide e-waste problem, but you are not exactly sure how to recycle electronics, you should take a few moments to read this article.

Just like with other materials, electronics can actually be recycled a few different ways. Not all of your electronics have to go straight to the nearest recycling center that accepts e-waste. There are other ways you can “recycle” your electronics before they end up in a recycling facility.

How to Recycle Electronics That Are Still Usable

Do you know how to recycle electronics that are still in good working condition? If you have electronic devices just sitting around your home and/or office and collecting dust, if they are still operable, you can “recycle” them without actually taking them to an e-waste recycling facility.

Just because an old electronic gadget is no longer useful to you, does not mean it is no longer useful at all. Most likely, there is someone out there who could put your old consumer electronic gadget to good use, and reusing that old electronic device is actually a way of “recycling” that old electronic device. You are contributing to the reduction of our worldwide e-waste problem whenever you reuse/recycle your old consumer electronics.

So, now that you know how to recycle electronics that are still operational, where do you find someone to either give or sell your old electronic devices to? There are actually a number of ways to accomplish this. If you are looking to make a little bit of extra cash, you can either trade-in or sell your old electronics online.

How to Recycle Electronics by Trading Them in or Selling Them

There are several online and offline retailers who will offer you cash or gift cards for your old electronics, depending on what they are. Sites like Gazelle.com and Glyde.com will offer you money for your old cellular phones, tablet PCs, iPhones, iPads and Macbooks. Glyde.com also has a partner program called Buybak (Glyde.buybak.com) that will offer you cash for other small electronic items like video game consoles, digital cameras and more. Sites like Amazon.com, eBay.com and BuyTronics.com offer similar trade-in programs for your small electronic gadgets, like laptops, printers and other devices.

If you would like to sell your electronic devices outright, there are several options you can use to accomplish this as well. You can list your item for sale on a site like Craigslist, BackPage or your local newspaper. You could also sell your item on eBay or Amazon as a seller, however, sites like these charge listing fees and/or a sales percentage.

You can also give your electronics away to someone in need. You could donate them to your favorite charity or non-profit organization. Usually, you can write these donations off on your taxes as well.

How to Recycle Broken Electronics

If your electronics are broken or no longer working you should dispose of them responsibly. At this point, it is best to either take them to a recycling center or do a drop-off or mail-in to a retailer that accepts broken electronics for recycling purposes. Some of these places include Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples and several others. Many of these retailers will accept your electronics free of charge.

Now that you know how to recycle electronics, I hope you decide to do you part and help us reduce the amount of e-waste that is junking up our precious planet.

Resources:
• https://www.consumerreports.org/recycling/how-to-recycle-electronics/