We’ve all been there—the piles of discarded batteries, the stacks of outdated cell phones, and the old laptops you no longer use.
Unfortunately, getting rid of E-waste isn’t as easy as throwing them away. There are rules and guidelines for each state for electronics disposal.
If you have a mountain of electronics and don’t know what to do with it, keep reading. There are plenty of ways to dispose of E-waste properly and sustainably.
What Are the Sustainable Disposal Methods of E-waste?
Electronic waste gets a special category because electronic hardware contains metal, chemicals, plastic, and other components that require careful and specific handling. Many of these parts are harmful to the environment, leaking into the ground and potentially polluting groundwater, soil, and more.
Thankfully, the world is now getting wise to the fact that we need to do something about all this E-waste.
There are much better, more sustainable alternatives to cleaning up electronic waste than throwing them in the garbage. Some of these tips may even make you a quick buck!
Repair & Extend the Lifespan of Your Electronics
While the push to get the newest thing is strong, many of your electronics will last at least a year or two more with care and a little bit of repair.
Often, a new battery is all an item needs to work like new! Smartphones can get their screens and batteries replaced for sometimes a 10th of the cost of a new device, extending their lives for nearly double the time you’ve owned it.
Some websites encourage self-fixing and will give you step-by-step instructions on how to do your own repairs. You can see that spending $100 on a repair is way more efficient than spending full market price on a brand-new device, especially for large purchases like smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Sell Your Outdated Technology
More often than not, electronic equipment is still in good/usable condition when someone is trying to upgrade to a newer model. If your used electronics are still in working condition, you could sell them—and make some money off items you thought were just trash.
You can advertise your electronics for sale in online forums, including social media. If your equipment is in good shape, you can post it on one of these sites to see if your trash can become someone’s treasure.
Even if it’s not in good condition, people sometimes buy broken items for parts to fix other things. Some tech stores will even give you money back for lightly-used items in the form of gift cards to their stores.
Not everyone can afford the latest and greatest, so you may be doing someone a favor by selling your used items!
Donate Your Outdated Technology
Perhaps your items are so outdated that you don’t think anyone would ever want to buy them. In that case, consider donating them to give them a new life.
The “vintage era” is in, and people love playing with the technology of a bygone era—it adds an air of nostalgia to their lives. Old tech is also entering a new wave of popularity among younger generations.
So, pry the walkman and cassette tape collection out of your dad’s hands and send it off to your nearest donation center—a hip youth can hang it out of their pocket while wishing for those “better days.”
Recycle Your Electronic Waste
If your items are no longer usable or not in good condition, you can find a recycling center. Throwing your electronics in the garbage is never the right way to dispose of electronics. Many states have strict guidelines on how to dispose of and recycle electronic equipment.
You can research nearby recycling processing centers. These locations will properly handle your equipment and dispose of it correctly per your local guidelines. Just note that not every recycling center open to the public will accept E-waste.
Alternatively, you can hire a disposal service to take the E-waste to the appropriate recycling center.
Need to Dispose of E-Waste? Get in Touch
Dumping E-waste in the garbage is more than just irresponsible; it harms the environment and might put you at risk of paying fines for illegal E-waste dumping. Take the stress out of figuring out what to do with your outdated electronics by calling Nixxit Junk Removal!
Our trained professionals are ready to take your E-waste and dispose of it properly, recycling up to 80% of all items we remove. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that 1) your unwanted items aren’t just going in the trash and adding to environmental pollution, and 2) you didn’t even have to do it yourself!
Call Nixxit Junk Removal to get that old tech off your hands and out of your mind!
Need Help with Electronics Removal in the Bay Area, CA?
Nixxit Junk Removal can help with your electronics removal needs in the Bay Area.
- Fully Licensed and Insured
- Locally Owned and Operated
- Full-Service Removal and Sorting
- Donation and Recycling
