How many electronic devices do you have in your home? What about small appliances like a toaster, blender, coffeemaker, etc. All of those electronic items contain metals, glass, and plastic that should be recycled instead of disposed of in a landfill.
Items like smartphones, laptops, tablets, personal computers, routers, modems, and printers contain data that could create issues if someone accesses the information. It’s especially important that those items are recycled properly, with the data destroyed. None of these items go to a landfill, but they’re also not accepted in your blue recycling containers. How do you recycle them?
The Realities of E-Waste
Electronic waste includes large and small equipment. Large electronics are items like washing machines and copiers. Small electronics are items like scientific calculators, video cameras, and laptops. These electronics may be in portable devices or part of your car’s computer and audio system, a solar panel array, or the equipment in a corporation’s data center.
Just over 31 pounds of electronic waste is generated per person in the Americas. Of that waste, only 30% is recycled properly. Only Asia and Africa have lower recycling rates. Considering that there is close to 136.67 billion tons of e-waste generated around the globe, a 30% recycling rate is pathetically low. Mankind needs to take responsibility for the electronics they use and dispose of.
You might believe that every person in the U.S. is legally required to recycle used electronics. That’s not the case. While there are federal laws against disposing of hazardous materials in landfills, there are no laws regarding electronics recycling. Only half of the states in the U.S. have laws regulating electronics recycling. Not every community mandates it. Yet, that doesn’t mean you cannot do your part and recycle electronics responsibly.
How E-Waste Should Be Disposed Of
E-waste is meant to be recycled by specialty e-waste recycling specialists. Items have their data destroyed and are processed for resale by fixing broken components. If you’ve ever seen a refurbished item for sale, that’s one that’s been repaired and restored to like-new condition by a specialist in electronics recycling.
E-waste can also be shredded to break down the materials for reuse. Glass screens are removed. Heavy-duty magnets can separate shredded metal from plastic. Glass, plastic, and the different metals go through additional processing. Eventually, they become the secondary raw materials needed to make new electronics or other items that incorporate recycled materials in the manufacturing process. It lessens the impact mining and plastics production cause to the environment.
Before you recycle any item with personal information on it, such as a smartphone or laptop, wipe the drive using a data removal tool like Darik’s Boot and Nuke. Restoring to factory settings doesn’t completely make your data inaccessible. Someone with the right knowledge could still access your old photos, tax returns, emails, passwords, and other private information.
Once you’ve destroyed data, it’s time to recycle your electronic devices. To get your old electronics to an e-waste processing facility, you need to find events or programs where electronic devices or items are collected and transported to a facility for processing.
A Sampling of Events Around the U.S.
The LES Ecology Center in NYC hosts several e-waste collection events throughout the spring and early summer. Locations are easy to reach and include areas like the Alley Pond Athletic Playground in Queens Village, Manhattan Plaza in Hell’s Kitchen, and St. Anselm Church in Bay Ridge. Visit the LES Ecology Center’s website for a full listing of e-waste recycling dates, times, and locations.
The City of Boston hosts Zero-Waste Days throughout the year. Hazardous waste, including e-waste, is accepted at these events. Find a list of Zero Waste Pop-Ups here.
In Plano, Texas, an electronics recycling event takes place on the third Saturday of every month. Head to the First United Methodist Church between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon to dispose of your unwanted electronics.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas also hosts a Texas e-waste recycling event once a year. In addition to electronics, you can also bring private documents like old tax records for free on-site shredding services.
Illinois residents find events like one hosted by the University of Chicago. During the annual Campus Electronic Recycling Collection days, you can recycle your unwanted electronics and even benefit from free data destruction services.
Portland, Oregon, hosts an annual e-waste recycling event as part of the city’s Earth Day celebrations. Bring old electronics to the Madeleine Parish to drop off your items in the parish’s driveway.
ERI is one of the nation’s biggest ITAD and electronics recycling companies. ERI and LG team up for Earth Day electronics recycling programs. ERI accepted electronics in Clarksville, TN; Englewood Cliffs, NJ; Huntsville, AL; Lincolnshire, IL; and Santa Clara, CA. More e-waste recycling events are scheduled throughout the year. Check ERI’s event calendar for Collection Events near you.
Tips for Finding E-Waste Recycling Events Near You
Start your search for local e-waste recycling events by reading news and updates from your town or city clerk. Your local waste and recycling facility may provide a calendar with special events listed.
Reach out to the manufacturers, as many have free take-back programs. Sign up and receive your free postage label. Tape that on your package and send the item back to the manufacturer for responsible recycling.
Stores like Best Buy and Staples accept used electronics for recycling. Call first to see what the limits are in your area. It’s a helpful way to recycle items like old laptops and tablets. Plus, you might qualify for a discount if you’re purchasing a replacement at the same time.
Best Buy offers pick-up service for less than $200. Your local Best Buy dispatches a truck to your home to haul away two large appliances and an unlimited number of smaller ones. If you have old appliances like a washer and dryer that you replaced but lack a truck to bring them to your area’s recycling center, haul-away service is helpful.
Even if you cannot find a recycling event in your area, ERI can help you recycle your unused electronics responsibly. Purchase an electronics recycling box online and recycle as many electronics as you can fit in the box, which ranges in size from small to a full pallet. The price covers shipping and processing at one of our secure recycling facilities.