Easily Recycle Your Electronics at Major Retailers

In 2005, discarded or obsolete electronics totaled around 1.9 to 2.2 million tons. A staggering 1.5 to 1.9 million tons of these items were dumped into landfills, leaving only 345,000 to 379,000 tons to be recycled, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). But this doesn't have to be the case.

Chances are, recycling options for electronics are closer than you think. Many major retailers, the very places we often purchase electronics, offer recycling programs, some of which are surprisingly extensive. Here’s a look at the five largest.

Apple

Apple's iPod recycling initiative provides free recycling for any iPod or cell phone. By completing an online form, you will receive a prepaid shipping label to affix to your package, or you can request a free mailing box. For U.S. customers, Apple also offers free recycling of old computers, displays, and peripherals like cables, mice, keyboards, speakers, printers, scanners, hard drives, etc., when you purchase a new Mac or monitor. Whether you buy a computer or monitor online or in-store, Apple will send you an email with a shipping code. Simply pack your old gear and drop it off at any FedEx location for recycling.

Best Buy

Best Buy offers a thorough recycling program that covers everything from TVs to refrigerators. You can drop off old cell phones, rechargeable batteries, and printer cartridges for free at convenient kiosks in all U.S. stores. When you purchase a cell phone, Best Buy provides a prepaid envelope to send old phones to ReCellular, their recycling and reuse partner. If your electronics are still in working condition, you can trade them in for cash; just use the online trade-in estimator to get an instant quote. After your device is received at the trade-in center, you'll receive a Best Buy gift card. Best Buy also offers appliance and TV delivery, along with free haul-away for old units, and evaluates them for recycling or reuse. Additionally, the company provides grants ranging from $500 to $1,500 to support recycling initiatives hosted by nonprofit organizations, municipalities, or public-private partnerships.

Circuit City

Circuit City also incentivizes electronics recycling with a trade-in program for older (but still functional) tech. The company partners with EZtradein.com, offering exchange of home and portable electronics for Circuit City gift cards when the devices still hold value. It's a similar process to Best Buy's trade-in system: enter your device details into the trade-in calculator, get a quote, and receive a gift card after your gadget arrives at their facility. Circuit City is also part of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation’s (RBRC) Call2Recycle program, which recycles rechargeable batteries and old cell phones. They provide collection bags for online customers to easily recycle their phones. Note: Circuit City does not accept bulky CRT monitors due to their weight.

Office Depot

Office Depot's recycling initiative is one of the most straightforward and user-friendly among major retailers. The company provides three box sizes, small, medium, and large, which you can fill with various tech gadgets and drop off at any Office Depot location. The boxes are priced at $5, $10, and $15 respectively. Afterward, the devices are sent to a recycling facility where they are sorted and processed. Additionally, Office Depot offers free in-store recycling for items like cell phones, rechargeable batteries, and ink & toner cartridges. As an exciting addition, Office Depot will open its first eco-friendly store in Austin, Texas this summer, featuring energy-efficient lighting, water fixtures, and environmentally conscious building materials.

Staples

Staples' recycling program accepts electronics of any brand and from any retailer. It includes everything from desktops, laptops, and printers to peripherals like keyboards, mice, and speakers, with a $10 fee for large items (such as computers and printers). You can drop off your items at a Staples customer service desk, where they are then sent to a recycler who disassembles the equipment for material recovery. For smaller personal electronics like cell phones, PDAs, pagers, cameras, chargers, and batteries, Staples partners with organizations like RBRC's Call2Recycle. The company also provides prepaid shipping materials for sending in old printer cartridges. Furthermore, Staples is part of the EPA's WasteWise program, helping businesses reduce waste through solid and industrial waste management solutions.

While none of these solutions are flawless, and e-waste recycling can be hazardous for those involved in dismantling electronics, and potentially harmful to the environment, these programs provide valuable opportunities to ensure that most of your old electronics are properly recycled instead of ending up in a landfill where they shouldn't be.

[source: DVICE]

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