Spring Cleaning Tips | Recycle Old Electronics
Cut Back on Pollution – Recycle Old Electronics
A few weeks ago, we ushered in the spring cleaning season with a blog on how to inspect your home’s major appliances to ensure they’re operating at optimal efficiency. Because this season is all about new beginnings, why not continue your spring cleaning on Earth Day by getting rid of all your old electronics? And by getting rid of, we mean recycling or donating – not trashing.
Why You Should Recycle Your Old Electronics
With each passing year, it seems that our electronics become smaller and/or thinner, making it all the more easy to simply toss them in the trash without a second glance. Here’s why you should think twice before tossing your old or lightly used electronics:
Reduce Pollution & Save Energy
Electronics aren’t like regular garbage; they house toxic materials such as arsenic, cadmium and lead that can pollute the environment if not properly handled. Conversely, they also contain valuable materials such as copper, silver, gold and palladium, which when recovered through means of recycling, reduces air and water pollution as we’re not having to mine virgin materials (EPA).
Check out this infographic from the EPA explaining the secret life of a smartphone and how you can help reduce pollution.
Protect Your Private Information
Computer, smartphones, tablets and the like all contain private information. As soon as you toss your electronics in the trash, you make yourself vulnerable to data theft. The last thing you want is for your personal information such as bank account logins, credit card numbers, or social media passwords to get into the wrong hands. With identity theft on the rise, protecting you and your loved ones is paramount. The best thing you could do for yourself as well as for the environment is to recycle responsibly.
Where to Recycle Old Electronics
Most local communities have designated facilities where you can recycle old electronics. Additionally, many retailers and manufacturers offer options for recycling from in-store and event to permanent drop-off sites and mail-in. It all, of course, depends on the electronic which you’re trying to recycle. Check out this list from the EPA for all your recycling options at retailers and manufacturers. For folks in the Nokesville area, Hickerson Brothers can assist you in the recycling process!
Additional Recycling Tips
Recycling is a great way to reduce pollution in the environment. Sometimes it can be difficult determining whether an item should go into the recycling or landfill bin. Here’s what Waste Management says you should recycle:
Metals: aluminum cans, aluminum foil and bakeware, steel cans, tin cans, coffee cans
Paper/Cardboard: corrugated cardboard, magazines, office paper, newspaper, paperboard, dairy and juice cartons (check with your local facilities first, though) , unsolicited direct mail, phone books
Glass: clear (flint) glass, brown (amber) glass, green (emerald) glass
Plastics: Clean and empty jars, jugs and bottles
Batteries/Bulbs: car batteries, household and button batteries, rechargeable batteries, incandescent and LED bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs
Too often, things that shouldn’t be recycled end up in the wrong bin only to cause more problems. Here are items that you should not recycle:
- Greasy, oily pizza boxes
- Used paper towels
- Used paper plates
- Shredded paper
- Bright colored paper
- Paper coffee cups
- Plastic bags
- Broken glass
Not every recycling center accepts the same products. This is why it’s important to first check with your local centers to see which items they deem recyclable.
Check out these other resources for tips on recycling at home:
- Compact Appliances’ “9 Recycling Tips You Should Know”
- TreeHugger’s “10 Ways to Improve Your Recycling”
- Columbia University’s “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”
- EPA’s “Reducing Waste: What You Can Do”
Hickerson Electrical is your source for all home electrical services. We’re ready and willing to deliver top-quality service to your home at a moment’s notice. Call today at (703) 594-3913.
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