When your older electronics start giving out or you’re just looking for an upgrade, you’re probably focused on what you’ll buy next rather than what you already have. Buying new technology and getting the latest models can be an exciting time. But once you get your new devices, what are you supposed to do with the old ones? Many people aren’t sure what they’re supposed to do with old tech products and they could end up laying around the house collecting dust.
Recycling tech has become increasingly important not only to protect our landfills from the toxic chemicals that can be used in tech products, but also to repurpose materials we may have a limited supply of. Ajay Kochhar with Li-Cycle is no stranger to tech recycling. “Battery supply constraints are beginning to emerge due to the delay in li-ion production because raw materials are becoming short in supply, which makes recycling critical in order to avoid a supply chain shortage.”
Unfortunately, many of our old devices end up as e-waste as well. These devices are tossed into landfills to waste away and create toxic chemicals that can seep into the soil and endanger the surrounding areas. Because of this, it’s extremely important to learn about how to safely recycle your old electronics. At Newtech Recycling, we can help make sure that everyone in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania has a reliable place to safely recycle their old electronics.
Do Electronics Need to be Recycled?
Everyone should be recycling their old electronics. Recycling centers are available all over the country, so there is no reason for harmful e-waste to end up in landfills. For many Americans, recycling isn’t simply a nice thing you can do for the environment. Many states have made it a law to responsibly recycle your old electronics and disposing of them incorrectly could leave you facing a huge fine. This includes not only our tech devices like cell phones and computers, but household appliances like refrigerators and microwaves as well. Even if your state doesn’t require you to recycle your electronics, this is something you should be doing to help prevent more e-waste from entering landfills. Not only is this detrimental for our environment, but it also wastes valuable parts in our devices that could be reused.
Where Do You Recycle Electronics?
Recycling your old electronics involves a few extra steps than throwing your plastics water bottles in a bin. If you have smaller devices, like laptops and cell phones, that you can easily pick up and put in the car, you can take your electronics straight to your local center to have them take care of it. However, if you have large appliances at home or have multiple devices and appliances in an office space, doing this on your own isn’t always an option. If this is the case for you, there are still ways for you to ensure that you can get your electronics recycled properly. Many recycling centers give you the option to come to wherever you can and pick up your appliances if you’re unable.
Before you take your electronics anywhere to be recycled, do our research to make sure the place you’re going is reliable and it’s somewhere you can trust that they follow all regulations for recycling electronics. You should also make sure that you’ve saved any important files on your computer somewhere safe so that you don’t lose anything after recycling it. For your protection, have all of your data wiped from your devices before recycling them.
What if Your Old Electronics Still Work?
Many of us might buy new electronics as a treat when our old ones work perfectly fine. Old electronics are often still in great working condition, so you might not want to take them to be recycled when they’re still usable. If you have electronics that you don’t want but are in good condition, you may be able to donate them. Your local recycling center may take electronics like this and donate them to different charities. If the recycling center near you doesn’t handle donations, you should still be able to find a local charity that is open to receiving electronics as donations. We spoke to Daniel W. Rasmus with Serious Insights who told us “If they still work but don’t have resale value, I will donate them toThe Boys and Girls Club.” This is just an example of one charity that will accept old electronics but there are a ton more who can utilize your old tech products.