Recycling electronics can seem like a bit of a pain, since you can’t just haul them to the local recycling drop box with your aluminum cans and glass jars. However, recycling electronics is more important now than ever. According to the EPA, “Recyclers recover more than 100 million pounds of materials from electronics each year.” Unfortunately, this statistic comes from just a small percentage of overall electronics being recycled. Instead, many people simply dump their electronics in the regular trash, where they take up landfill space and leach harmful chemicals into the environment.
The first step to being responsible with your electronic waste is to find out where to recycle electronics near you. If you live in the San Diego area, Recycle San Diego is a great option. This recycling business can even provide certification for businesses that they have responsibly recycled their electronic waste, which is now a legal issue in the state of California. If you live in another area, you can find an electronics recycler near you through Earth911.org’s search option.
Suat Eman
Things to Keep in Mind
Keep in mind that not all eWaste recyclers are created equal, so it’s important to do a bit of research on recycling facilities before you simply drop your items off. Some facilities make you feel like you’re doing something good for the environment, but they’re not ethically recycling electronic waste in the end.
Also, different recycling facilities will accept electronics in different ways. Some communities have special pickup days where the local recycling facility will pick up electronics and appliances. Other independent recycling facilities have drop off days where you can unload your used electronics or appliances for free or maybe for a small fee. Once you’ve figured out where to recycle electronics, it’s important that you do a bit of research to make sure you’re following that particular company’s protocol for dropping off your recycling.
Go here for a list of electronic items Recycle San Diego accepts.
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