How Do You Dispose of Old Electronics?

The EPA says to delete all personal information from your electronics before donating or recycling them, and to remove any batteries, which may need to be recycled separately. It says electronic products are made from valuable resources and materials, including metals, plastics and glass, that require energy to mine and manufacture, and that donating or recycling consumer electronics conserves natural resources and avoids air and water pollution.

The EPA recommends using certified electronics recyclers and says there are currently two accredited certification standards in the United States, R2 and e-Stewards. It says both are based on environmental standards that maximize reuse and recycling, minimize exposure to human health or the environment, ensure safe management of materials by downstream handlers, and require destruction of all data on used electronics.

Old cathode ray tube TVs and monitors need extra care. The EPA says that because of the lead in their funnel glass, cathode ray tubes marked for disposal are considered hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. It also says twenty-five US states plus the District of Columbia currently have electronics recycling laws.