Technology has become the lighting beacon guiding our way to progress. The way TV sets and computer hardware have evolved in such a short time has helped humanity reach new levels of awareness and knowledge. Smartphones, in particular, have played an influential role by giving internet access to nearly one-third of the earth’s population.

The progression of technology never stops.  This means new and better smart phones, and other devices, come out every year adding to the pollution. While a lot of people around the world tend to be budget-conscious when it comes to technology, many more are everyday enthusiasts that need to get their hands on the new model of their favorite tech as soon as it’s released.

As you can probably wonder this create a lot of environmental problems when it comes to dealing with discarded equipment. Even among the people who keep their smart devices for the duration of their lifespan, they eventually become a piece of electronic waste. The United Nations took notice of this issue when a study registered close to 45 million tons of waste created by the phone industry each year.

These concerns are nothing new. Since the introduction of mobile devices, the industry has faced increasing backlash because their products are often lined with toxic materials such as mercury, lead or cadmium that need to be disposed of by specific protocols I will be discussing today. The good news is that many of these big players in the industry are working to solve these problems with initiatives based on reusing or recycling components and materials to save costs and help the planet.

If you are wondering about what you can do today, don’t worry we got your back covered. The size of the effort doesn’t matter, but as long as people know this information, they can take this course of action to get rid of their electronic devices properly. Before doing any of these, please remember to get rid of all the personal data you have stored in your smart devices. Once you have done that, here’s what you can do next.

● Take the Device to a Recycling Center

You probably are not aware of these efforts in your community, but a quick online search will let you know where your local recycling center is located. Most of these operations can help you get rid of outdated or non-functioning electronic devices in a suitable fashion and by following the established protocols set by the industry to separate out the hazardous materials from them.

There are also a few organizations working at national level to help you get rid of rechargeable batteries with centers located at specific points receiving year-round these pieces to dispose of them. You can find one near you by searching or using their online service with your zip code.

● Donate Outdated Hardware

If you are disposing of functioning devices, you can always offer them to any non-profit charity organization. They will find the device a new phone, especially among senior citizens who can’t quite get their heads around new models of these devices and actually benefit from using older, simpler technology. Better yet, if you need a tax deduction, you can always ask these organizations for a receipt.

Big companies also participate in these donation efforts with their own programs: Dell has a partnership with the Goodwill Organization to distribute discarded hardware to anyone who might need it. American Cell Phone Drive receives all models of smart devices no matter their condition and refurbishes them to sell them at lower prices to support specific causes. World Computer Exchange is on a mission to close the technological gaps among countries by redistributing technology to places that it hasn’t reached yet.

● Offer your Outdated Devices to a Tech Firm

There are quite a few retailers and manufacturer out there leading their own recycling programs. If you rather go this way you will have to do some research on the programs offered by the outlets close to you in your location. Some of these programs allow the donor to collect some rewards based on the type of hardware provided back to them.

Apple, for example, offer ups to a $1,000 in-store credit for functioning devices. Best Buy takes any form of electronics no matter where you originally bought them. Sprint has a buyback program that rewards user with up to $300 depending on the equipment offered. Amazon pays back customers up to $200 for any outdated technology as long as is still functioning. Office Depot pays back for used printer cartridges.

A lot of companies can help with this.  Even local waste companies in places from Nigeria to Woodstock, Ga, such as Alternative Waste Solutions, have found ways to incorporate recycling into their business infrastructure.

Conclusion

As you can tell, there are plenty of ways you can recycle old electronics.  I am not trying to say we all have to do everyone.  Actually the opposite.  We all need to take only one of these 3 steps.

Recycling is difficult to say the least.  I understand motivation is a fleeting resource, but I hope you got something out of this.

Electronics are often forgotten, but they are only going to continue to increase their total waste in the years to come.