Complications of Recycling Electronics

Have you tried to contact the manufacturer of an electronic item you wanted to recycle? I have, and it wasn’t an easy conversation. When my wife and I were ready to buy a new computer, we called the customer service department of the manufacturer of our old laptop. We were basically told that they currently do not have a program in place to assist us. When I asked the rep what I should do with the computer, his response was, “Well, that’s your choice… you could hold on to it, throw it away or find a place that takes computers to recycle them.”

This short-lived conversation opened my eyes to an unfortunate dilemma: What are we to do with our old electronics? Throwing them away is not an option, because I know toxic chemicals will end up in landfills and our water supply, possibly harming people and wildlife. I didn’t want to hold onto the old computer because I don’t have room for it, and neither do the electronics companies.

I realized the manufacturers aren’t the issue. They have the same problem I do: what to do with e-waste. They don’t have the room, resources or procedures in place to handle thousands of obsolete computers, TVs and printers. They’re manufacturers, not recycling facilities.

My only solution was to contact my local recycling facility. They gladly took my old laptop and assured me that it would be sent to the appropriate place to be reused. Electronics seem to be a huge elephant in the green room, and it may take some time and extra effort to see this enormous issue be properly addressed.

There are companies that have caught the “vision” and have introduced recycling programs. Each electronics manufacturer is different, so be sure to check into the details before you show up with your hands full of electronics.