How to Recycle Electronics

Did you know “For every million cell phones we recycle, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered.”(EPA.gov) In many states, electronic waste is banned from landfills because of these metals used in production.

Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, is any consumer electronics such as computers, laptops, tablets, and cell phones, which all require special recycling. But knowing where and how to dispose of these items can be challenging so we’ve created a five-step process to get you started. 

1. Start by check to see if there is a local dedicated electronics recycling day in your area. Google search tip: start with your county (or city) and electronics recycling. 
   
   
2. Next, searching one of these sites can expand your recycling options. Earth911 and RecycleNation let you input an item for recycling with your zip code to help pinpoint location close to you. 
   
   
3. You can also donate your electronic items to a local charity. The World Computer Exchange and Donation Town are two options for donating to charitable causes.  
   
   
4. Check with major manufactures such as Apple, and retailers such as Best Buy, for in house recycling programs, often you can get a credit towards new purchases. 
   
   
5. If your area is limited in recycling or donating options, but you have access to Office Depot, try the tech recycling box. 

Before you recycle or donate make sure to remove the battery and recycle separately! You’ll also want to remove your data, check out this informative article to get you started.