How To Recycle Personal Electronics

Gotta love electronics, but what happens when it’s time to “break up” with your gadget? If your camera, MP3 player, phone or PDA is broken, old or just plain ol’ yesterday’s news, it might be time to move on. But, what do you do with it?

If your gadget is a cell phone, consider the following:

• Donate it to a crisis center. Contact your local YWCA or family crisis shelter to see if they take cell phone donations. Chances are they do.
• Take it back to your cell phone provider. Many of the big service providers will take cell phones back and give you a donation receipt for taxes.
• Turn it in to a local office supply store or retailer. Many of them have recycling programs.

Cell phone recycling articles and resources:

Cell Phone Recycling (Charity Guide)

Recycle Your Phone (Secret Life)

For other electronic gadgets:

• Contact the manufacturer. Some will take back your gadget and some might even pay you for it!
• Sell it. List it on a free service like Craigslist, or ask a friend or family member if they are looking for a gadget like yours (make sure it’s in working order).

Electronics recycling and articles and resources:

Where Can I Donate or Recycle My Old Computer and Other Electronic Products? (U.S. EPA)

USPS Recycling New Program in major US cities (OrganizingLA)

Whatever you do, consider the above options before you toss anything in your garbage can or landfill. Electronics are big polluters if not disposed of properly, and chances are there are recycling programs in your area. The best thing we can do for a home office is to get rid of clutter and chaos. Just make sure you’re not passing on your leftovers and polluting the environment in the process. Recycle, Reduce, Reuse!

Update: Fellow Sparkplugging author, Melissa Moog, has a great post on this very same subject.  Check it out here!