The holiday season is a great time to declutter your home before the deluge of gifts has a chance to overrun you. But for many of the electronic devices that are sprinkled throughout the house, throwing them in a dumpster or recycling bin may not be the best way to dispose of them. Here are five ways how to safely recycle your electronics.
Donate
One of the great things about the holidays is the spirit of giving that can overtake people. This can extend to donating your unwanted gadgets to those in need. Old video games and game systems can often be donated to local hospitals to make the stay of patients easier. Charities and shelters are always looking for things they can repurpose or resell to support their missions.
Sell Them
If you’re looking to sell your old equipment for a profit, you might want to check out Surplus.net, a database of surplus equipment and machinery available for sale from various organizations and businesses. Old computers, industrial machinery, and more can be sold through these channels to help declutter your home and make some extra cash.
If you would prefer to make a bit of money while reorganizing, you might be able to sell your old devices on auction websites, message boards, social media, or to a pawn shop. Old movies, video games, computers, and all manner of other items can be sold to help declutter your home. While not as altruistic as donating, it can net you some cash to spend on gifts or yourself.
Buy-Back
Many businesses offer a program where you can exchange your unwanted devices and use that toward the purchase of something new. This is very common with video games, cell phones, computers, and tablets.
E-Waste Center
If you would prefer to just get rid of the items outright, there are many places that you can go that will take your e-waste. This can be tricky because there is a high potential for recycling contamination, which must be avoided. To prevent this, check with local recycling centers to see if they can take your e-waste before dropping it off. Another possibility is to find a local hazardous waste facility that can handle the chemicals that are often found in our devices.
Retailers
The final suggestion for how to safely recycle your electronics is to look for big-box stores that will take unwanted devices. Many electronics stores have recycling bins near the front of their store for items such as dead batteries, old cell phones, and printer cartridges. These can then be scrapped and reused to make new products.
FAQ
What is an e-waste center?
If you would prefer to just get rid of the items outright, there are many places that you can go that will take your e-waste. This can be tricky because there is a high potential for recycling contamination, which must be avoided. To prevent this, check with local recycling centers to see if they can take your e-waste before dropping it off. Another possibility is to find a local hazardous waste facility that can handle the chemicals that are often found in our devices.
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