Recycling Has Its Rewards

You just bought a shiny, brand-new gadget.

Congratulations.

But what are you going to do with that creaky old notebook, cell phone, or MP3 player? According to the Environmental Protection Agency, between 1.9 to 2.2 million tons of used or unwanted electronics were accumulated in 2005. Of that, only 345,000 to 379,000 tons were recycled, and the rest went to landfills.

However, a number of companies have set up programs to accept old electronics, so that 2001 Inspiron gathering dust in your basement won’t end up in the garbage. And you don’t have to recycle out of the kindness of your heart, either: Many vendors will give you cash or credit in return for your junk.

Below is a list of manufacturers and retail stores who will happily recycle your aging electronics along with their policies and perks.

Manufacturers

Apple

Free iPod and cell phone recycling, regardless of manufacturer. Will also recycle any manufacturer’s computer and monitor when you purchase an Apple system.
www.apple.com/environment/recycling

Dell

Recycles Dell-branded products for free. The company will also recycle other manufacturers’ equipment for free when you purchase a new Dell PC.
www.dell.com

Fujitsu

Free recycling of any Fujitsu laptop. The company does not accept other types of electronics, such as desktop computers, servers, and monitors.
www.fujitsu.com/global/about/environment/activity/recycle-usa.html

Gateway

Customers who have made a recent Gateway purchase can trade in any of their used equipment through Gateway’s online buy-back program for cash. The company also has a recycling program for equipment up to 70 pounds. Customers must pay for shipping.
gateway.eztradein.com/gateway 

HP

Its online buy-back service gives instant quotes on how much you could get for just about any piece of equipment. If it’s worthless, HP will recycle your electronics for a fee of $13 to $34 per item. The company also has free recycling for toner and inkjet cartridges.
www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitizenship/environment/return

Lenovo

Allows consumers and business customers to recycle any manufacturer’s equipment for a $30 fee, including shipping. Customers purchasing the Lenovo Recycling Service will receive a $50 rebate toward the purchase of any new Lenovo product.
www.pc.ibm.com/ww/lenovo/about/sustainability/environment/ptb_us.html

Toshiba

Recycles any Toshiba product for free. Will buy back any consumer electronics product that still has value; other items require consumers to pay the cost of shipping.
explore.toshiba.com/innovation-lab/green 

Retail stores

Best Buy

Consumers can trade in the following in return for store credit: car audio systems, desktops, digital cameras and camcorders, game systems, home audio receivers, iPods, mobile phones, monitors, notebooks, projectors, PDAs, and servers.
www.bestbuy.com

Circuit City

Partnered with EZTradeIn.com to allow customers to exchange electronics, from servers to iPods, for store credit.
www.circuitcity.com

Staples

Will take any brand, regardless of whether or not the equipment was purchased at Staples, for a $10 fee per item. Smaller items, such as cell phones, chargers, digital cameras, keyboards, mice, PDAs, pagers, and speakers are accepted at no charge.
www.staples.com/sbd/content/about/soul/recycling.html

U.S. Post Office

In partnership with Clover Technologies Group, the U.S. postal service is starting a pilot program where individuals will be able to recycle small electronics and inkjet cartridges by bringing them to their local post office, sealing them in a free envelope, and dropping it in the mail. The program will be launched in 10 regions, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Diego, but could roll out nationally by this fall.