Do you have an old one? laptop, Desktop or Printer Does that take up space? There are many easy and sustainable ways to dispose of them. Some locations even give you credit for recycling your old technology.
Disposing of such devices can be as simple as taking them to major retailers like Best Buy, Office Depot, and Staples—and throwing away your old devices is actually illegal and can result in hefty fines in some states, including California .
It is also a necessary habit to acquire. According to a A shift According to the study published earlier this year, people around the world throw away about five times more devices than are recycled.
Here’s what you need to know about recycling your old technology.
Read more: Why our gadgets aren’t recycled enough and how you can help
What to do before recycling your computer?
Wherever you take or send your items for recycling, you should make sure you protect your information by removing it as much as possible before doing so. One way to do this is to reset your computer to factory settings. Our guide guides you through the process.
Retailers who recycle computers and printers
Some retail stores accept computers and printers for recycling, but it’s not always free. Policies vary by company.
Apple
You can recycle your old Apple computers, Monitors and peripherals like printers available for free at an Apple Store, but there’s a costly catch. According to the Apple-free recycling To receive this service, you must also purchase a qualifying program Apple computers or monitor. Do you need another option? A third party company called Gazelle buys old MacBooks to recycle them. After accepting Gazelle’s offer, print a prepaid label or request a prepaid box and send the device to Gazelle.
Read more: Phone and laptop repair is going mainstream, with a big push from iFixit
Best buy
Best Buy generally accepts up to three household items be recycled free of charge per person per day, and this includes desktop computers and printers and other items from E-reader To Vacuum cleaner. While the limit for most items is three, laptops are held to a higher standard – Best Buy accepts five per household per day. Keep in mind that the rules for dropping off monitors vary by state and it’s not always free.
Best Buy also offers a Postal recycling service for selected items, but that’s not free either. A small box that holds up to 6 pounds costs $23, while a large box (up to 15 pounds) costs $30.
Office Depot and OfficeMax
Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013. The retailers offer a Tech trade-in program both in-store and online, where customers can receive a gift card to the store in exchange for their old computers and printers. If the device has no trade-in value, the company will recycle it free of charge.
Office Depot also sells its own tech recycling boxes that you can fill with electronics to recycle and then drop off at stores, but these aren’t free. The Small boxes are $8.39 and holds up to 20 pounds; The Mediums are $18.29 and holds up to 40 pounds; and the large is $28 and holds up to 60 pounds.
Staples
You can bring your old desktop computers, laptops, printers and more to the Staples checkout for recycling for free, even if they weren’t purchased there. The retailer also has a new free home battery recycling box, which a representative said has resulted in customers recycling thousands of batteries per week, up from a previous average of 50 batteries per week. Here is one list of everything that can be recycled at Staples.
Read more: How to factory reset a MacBook, Windows laptop, or Chromebook
How to Find Technology Recycling Centers
If you don’t live near a major retailer or would prefer to take your computers and printers to a recycling center, you can use search tools from Earth911 and the Consumer Technology Association to find locations near you.
Earth911
Use that Search function for recycling centers Find recycling centers near your zip code that accept laptops, desktops and printers on Earth911. Note that the results may also appear in some locations that accept this Mobile phones and not computers or printers, so you may need to do a little filtering.
CTA’s more eco-friendly gadgets
Consult the Consumer Technology Association’s Greener Gadgets Recycling locator Find local recycling centers near you that accept old items. You can also use the search function to filter results to separately search for locations where computers or printers are located.
Stay Ahead of the Curve!