What are the best ways to recycle electronics?
Whether you are trying to reinvent your amazing space, unclutter an old garage, downsize your home, or move overseas, sometimes you just need a good way to get rid of old electronics. Notoriously one of the most difficult things to recycle, electronics can now be “up cycled”–overhauled for a brand new purpose–donated, sold for cash, or even safely disposed of with your local recycling facility.
We’ve rounded up six ways to recycle your old electronics, such as:
- computers
- clocks
- VCRs and DVD players
- television sets
- phones
- batteries
Along with some other electronic devices. Read on to learn how to recycle your electronics!
Dispose of Batteries at Any Retail Collection Site
First things first: a quick safety lesson. Did you know that you should never throw away electronics and batteries? Electronics and batteries contain chemicals known as e-waste, heavy metals like cadmium and lead that can harm the environment. E-waste is accountable for an estimated 70 percent of heavy metals found in landfills.
The types of batteries that you can recycle include:
- rechargeable batteries
- alkaline and zinc carbon batteries
- watch batteries
- lithium batteries
- hearing aid batteries
To safely dispose of batteries, bring them to a retail collection point near you, such as:
- Home Depot
- Ikea
- Walmart
- Staples
- Radio Shack
You can also bring batteries to a Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) disposal center. You can dispose of car batteries at the store where you purchased your new battery.
If you need more information about recycling batteries, you can also call 1-800-8-BATTERY.
Proper Disposal of Other Electronics
Batteries aren’t the only e-waste that needs to be properly disposed of. Just like batteries, other electronics contain harmful heavy metals and other chemicals. If you wouldn’t want it sitting in your backyard, you definitely don’t want it sitting in landfills.
Most town garbage disposal facilities have some sort of protocol, and you can usually call them to find out when and where to bring your unwanted electronics. Simply call your town hall for assistance, or use Google to find a facility near you.
You can also safely get rid of other electronics by bringing them to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) center near you.
List Pre-Loved Electronics in Facebook Tag Sale Groups
One of the handiest features of Facebook is its independently-run local tag sale, groups. Most areas have at least one group; to find one near you, simply search for your town name, plus the phrase “tag sale” using Facebook’s search function. An administrator will approve your membership, and you can start posting right away!
For best results, take a photo of the device in a well-lit area. Facebook tag sale groups allow you to add a price tag to your item–or you can list it for free. You can also sell multiple items in a single post.
Donate Your Old Phone
If you’ve recently upgraded your phone, chances are your carrier’s store has a drop box in-store to donate your old phone to victims of domestic violence. If your store doesn’t have a drop box, ask an associate about the program; they will give you a prepaid envelope to mail your phone in for donation.
The programs refurbish or “up cycle” old phones for women in need. The associate in the store can help you transfer your data–photos, notes, etc–from your old phone to your new one, so you can rest assured that your memories and personal information are safe.
Make Extra Cash from Your Old Phone
If there isn’t a program for used phones for domestic violence victims in your area, and your phone is a hot-ticket item–such as a recent iteration of the iPhone–sell it for cash online.
If you’re comfortable using eBay, you can list your phone online for auction or for someone to
buy immediately. Check out other items currently for sale to get an idea of where to set your bidding start at. You can also read eBay’s handy quick-start phone-selling guide.
Don’t want to deal with eBay? There are many sites that happily pay for used iPhones and other smart phones. Here are just a few:
Sell Other Electronics Online for Cash
Depending on the item, you may not be able to sell all of your old electronics on eBay–but there are several services that will buy your devices.
Companies like NextWorth and USell will let you compare your electronics to their list, either by bar code or other means. Then they will send you a prepaid shipping label–or, in some cases, the whole package. All you have to do is box up your stuff and bring it to your local post office. The company then evaluates the value of your devices, and you receive a payment via direct deposit into your checking account, a check in the mail, a gift card to the store of your choice, or a deposit into your PayPal account.
Bonus Tip
Even though much has changed, pawn shops are still alive and well–and pay in cash on the spot. Most pawn shops accept electronics, DVDs, video games, and other items–though you should definitely call your shop ahead of time before you bring your devices because some shops no longer accept certain items.
Whether you’re looking to redo your amazing space, want to unclutter one of our amazing storage units, or if you’re just looking to earn some extra money, we hope that one of these methods will help you recycle your electronics.
About Amazing Spaces Storage Centers
Amazing Spaces is Houston, Spring, and The Woodlands areas premier provider of self-storage and moving supplies. Amazing Spaces aims to provide everyone with the most remarkable storage experience possible. The properties offer highly secured storage spaces, fully climatized units, and a customer service experience unlike any other.
Amazing Spaces will be opening its 6thproperty in the Springwoods ~ Exxon Campus neighborhood in 2018. Learn more about Amazing Spaces and Discover all the Amazing Differences at Amazing Spaces Storage Centers by visiting AmazingSpaces.net.
