Electronics recycling: what to do with your laptops, phones, cameras and old batteries

Gadgets can accumulate over the years – new ones are launched, old ones break down. You probably have a drawer full of old batteries and cables, and some old phones, scattered laptops and desktops, which can only get bigger if you replace any of your electronics while on vacation. Maybe you keep them for nostalgic reasons (I admit I kept my first Nokia block phone to “show my kids one day”), or because you thought you could use them again in the future.

Be brave. Keep focus. Take a look in your drawers, in the garage, or in a dark corner of your closet and you’re sure to find a stack of electronics you don’t really need.

Whatever the technology, when it is finally time to say goodbye, there is a right way to dispose of your old devices – and many wrong ways. I’m going to help you.

Read More: Best places to sell your used electronics in 2021

What should I do before I get rid of my device?

When you’re done with a gadget, make sure it’s finished with you too. Even if it’s old, someone just needs a charger to reset their old phone or computer and get their personal data.

Moral of the story: make sure you back up everything you want from your device – photos, videos, music – and then do a factory reset. Don’t worry, we’ll give you tips on how to clean your device in the phone, laptop and camera sections below.

All those exhausted batteries

There are some ways to properly dispose of disposable and rechargeable batteries, such as AA, AAA and D-cell batteries, common in flashlights, toys and other household electronics.

Best Buy, Whole Foods, Home Depot, Lowes and Staples have free delivery points to take the spent batteries out of your hands. I suggest collecting used batteries in a container and taking them when they are full.

You can also check out Earth911, a website that helps you find the nearest recycling location based on the type of battery you need to dispose of (for example, alkaline, button cell, lithium, zinc-air). Call2Recycle can also help you find places to recycle your batteries.

How to recycle phones

Phones and their batteries are some of the easiest electronic products to recycle, according to Call2Recycle.

Remember to transfer all data and photos from your old phone to a new one or save it before resetting to factory defaults. Remember to remove the SIM card, if it’s still there.

The company accepts all phones and batteries, regardless of size, brand, model or age. Call2Recycle can refurbish the device for resale or recycle materials for a new device. If you look well enough, you can even get paid to recycle your phone.

If your phone is new enough, you can exchange it with an operator if you are buying a new phone or selling it on the open market. Otherwise, if it loses a lot of value, recycling may be your best bet for getting a dusty phone out of your hands.

Read: Selling or recycling your phone for money

Best Buy accepts three phones per home per day, Lowes has recycling centers everywhere, Home Depot accepts phones up to 11 pounds and Staples also accepts phones.

Whole Foods works with Secure the Call to obtain 911 emergency-only phones for the elderly and domestic violence shelters. Just be sure to bring the charger.

You can also donate your used phones carefully to cell phones for soldiers. The program helps soldiers call their families free of charge. Local communities can also receive donations as part of a citywide campaign.

I also suggest checking with your employer how he handles junk mail. You can add some items to the collection.

Laptop recycling made easy

Before disposing of your old computer, ask yourself if it can still be used. If you’re under five, someone else is likely to be able to put it to good use, according to TechSoup. Newer laptops can go to nonprofits or local libraries after they are refurbished. You can find a program in Microsoft’s Registered Refurbisher directory.

If the device is too old or out of shape to donate, you can recycle it. Once again, Earth911 makes it easy: just search for “laptop” and enter your zip code to find the nearest delivery location. Dell’s Goodwill Reconnect program also accepts old and damaged hardware.

Make sure the program you’re leaving your old hardware with is reliable on the Environmental Protection Agency’s certified electronic recyclers website and feel free to contact the refurbisher or recycler to double check.

When bringing the laptop, remember all the benefits that come with it – keyboard, mouse, printer, modem and any software. Refurbishers can usually repackage all of this. Just remember to clear your data first!

In addition, donating your laptop can earn you a tax break. Track what you donated to the case. You can learn more at Sage BlueBook or Section 170 of the Federal Income Tax Code if you are feeling particularly ambitious.

Chargers and wires can also be recycled

If you’re like my husband, and keep boxes on wire boxes, chargers and cables in the basement (just in case you need one), it may be time to let them go. You can search Capital Scrap Metal or InvestmentMine to see if the wires you have out there can be worth anything. For example, as of April 2020, copper was going up to $ 2.35 per pound, according to InvestmentMine.

You can also leave your cables at Best Buy, Staples and other locations. Chargers can also be reused. Sometimes, if a cable stops working with one device, you may be able to make it work with another. Thrifty!

Otherwise, consider donating your old cables, wires, chargers and wires to local science, technology, engineering and mathematics school programs, Google STEM, National Electronics Recycling Center or Earth911.

Yes, you must recycle your old camera

If you’re still holding camera relics from the early 2000s, we have a few places that will take them out of your hands.

Best Buy and Home Depot accept cameras and camcorders. Lowes also takes cameras. And, of course, Earth911 and Call2Recycle are options for the breadth of your used electronics.

TV recycling is possible

Televisions are larger electronic devices, so it may take a little more effort to get the job done, but don’t let that intimidate you. As with the donation and recycling of phones and laptops, there are a few things you need to know about how to get rid of your old TV. If the set still works, consider donating it to a used goods store.

If you can restore it to factory settings, do so for smart TVs that are likely to contain personal information. Disconnect everything, wrap cables neatly and secure them to the unit. Use a cart and use caution when moving the TV – potentially toxic materials on the TV can be released into your home if you drop it.

A Google search will show several local recycling and donation centers that accept larger electronics. Best Buy, for example, will buy two TVs per home per day for $ 20 if you are buying a new set – tube TVs smaller than 32 inches, portable TVs and flat screens, LCDs, LEDs and plasmas smaller than 50 inches. Standalone withdrawals cost $ 100. You can also leave your TV at the store – three TVs (with accessories) per home per day.

Why can’t I just throw away my old batteries and devices?

If your electronic components end up in a landfill, they will not leave behind only wires and plastic (which is a big problem in itself). If disposed of or disposed of improperly, electronic waste can cause damage to the environment.

Most electronics contain toxic materials such as lead, flame retardants and chromium. These materials can cause damage to human kidneys, blood and the nervous system, Ilene Lubell, president of the Mayer Metals Corporation, who recycles old electronics for companies, wrote in a blog.

When electronics are incorrectly discarded or thrown away, these toxins can leak into landfills, groundwater and vaporize in the atmosphere when heated, according to Lubell.

There are several environmentally friendly ways to dispose of your old electronic devices that can help people in need or in needy communities. It is important to note that the disposal protocol may vary depending on the device.

Behind the scenes, devices are recycled, refurbished or redistributed. Sometimes they are mined for parts or melted to extract rare earth materials from within. Apple Material Recovery Lab in Texas uses robots to dismantle iPhones ($ 899 on Amazon) at a rate of 200 devices per hour.

Go there and recycle!