E-Waste Recycling Centers: Where to Recycle Your Old Electronics

Major retailers such as Best Buy, Office Depot and Radio Shack have become recycling centers by taking a huge step to help eliminate electronic waste from our landfills.  Not only are they interested in saving our landfills from dangerous toxins, but they are also making recycling e-waste hassel-free.  These retailers are also getting the most value out of recyable computers, cell phones, and televisions.

By not properly disposing of old televisions, computers, and cell phones, we are putting ourself in potential danger to health risks from the chemicals that could seep into our ground water.  Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, contains high levels of mercury and cadmium that accounts for 70% of toxic waste in our landfills (Earth 911). 

Best Buy has made recycling household electronics extremely hassle-free by removing old televisions and appliances for free when a new television or appliance is purchased within their store.  Best Buy also has recycling kiosks located in front of all of their stores.  They accept old and used cell phones and batteries of any condition at these kiosk locations.  Best buy also accepts computers, fax machines, printers and DVD players.  However, they do limit each family to two items per day and they will charge you $10 for certain products, but they will reimburse you with a $10 gift card.

Best Buy also has a wonderful trade-in program available.  They offer gift cards for electronics in good condition.  Just visit http://www.bestbuytradein.com and select the product you have and their instant estimator will determine the value of your product.  If you wish to accept the trade-in value, complete the transaction by following the on screen prompts and print a shipping label.  Mail your item and wait approxiamtely two weeks for your gift card in the mail.

Office Depot has a recycling program called Tech Recycling in which you purchase a box from their store and fill it with as many acceptable items that will fit.  A list of accepted items can be found here.  Boxes range in size from small ($5), medium ($10), and large ($15).

Radio Shack will properly dispose of any rechargable battery including those from cell phones, camcorders, digital cameras, or laptop computers.  Radio Shack will also accept any old cell phones and donate it to the Call2Recycle program.  This program refurbishes old phones and donates $1 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children every time a phone is sold.

Best Buy, Office Depot and Radio Shack will meet most of your recycling needs.  However, Earth 911 and MyGreenElectronics.org do allow you to search for local recycling centers by zip code on their home pages.