How To Recycle Old Electronics

Got an old phone languishing in a drawer? Or a laptop that refuses to start and is gathering dust. Well, there are responsible ways to get rid of your old electronics without adding to the e-waste problem. Recycling them responsibly is one of the ways, but ideally, it should be your last resort. Here are a few alternatives to consider before you decide to recycle.

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Use Your Devices for Longer

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Before you decide to replace your current device with a new one, it’s good to ask: “Do I really need to upgrade?. If you can get more life out of your existing product, there’s nothing better than that. Your old working devices could also serve secondary purposes: smartphones could become dedicated security cameras, alarm clocks, or digital photo frames, while an old tablet or laptop could double up as a second screen.

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Donate Your Devices

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Instead of letting your devices hibernate in some corner of your closet, you can pass them on to family members, friends, and neighbors. You can also put them up on the Freecycle Network or local Buy Nothing groups.

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Repair Your Devices

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Repairing your device can also extend its life. If you are up for doing it yourself, iFixit is a great place to start. It has thousands of free step-by-step repair guides for everything from tablets and laptops to cameras and game consoles.

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Trade In or Sell Your Devices

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If the device is in working condition and you are planning to replace it with something new, check trade-in programs where you can exchange old electronics for a new one. There are also marketplaces like Swappa and Back Market where you can sell your old devices in a safe and secure manner. And then there are obviously places like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and eBay where you can list your old electronics.

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On a side note, here are some of our guides on refurbished electronics:

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If you cannot reuse, donate, repair, or sell, then you can recycle your old electronics.

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How To Recycle Old Electronics

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The first step should be to check if your existing manufacturer has a recycling program. Major manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Google will take back your old devices and recycle them if they can’t refurbish or reuse them. Here’s a list of manufacturers that take back and recycle their old electronics. If you have printer cartridges or any other printer parts from HP, you can mail them back to them for recycling.

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Retailers like Best Buy and Staples also have their own electronic recycling programs. Staples and Batteries Plus Stores even run a battery collection and recycling program where you can drop off rechargeable batteries from your cell phones, laptops, and smartwatches.

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For removable batteries, you can also search Earth911 or Call2Recycle for drop-off locations near you.

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It’s always a good idea to check with your local municipalities if they accept electronics at nearby drop-off locations or have any community drop-off events for e-waste. If not, you can always find recycling locations near you through Earth 911 or Call2Recycle (phones and batteries only).

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