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Do you have an old one? laptop, desktop or printer is it taking place? There are many easy and sustainable ways to dispose of them. Some places offer you a credit card for recycling your old technology.
Disposing of such items can be as simple as bringing them to major retailers like Best Buy, Office Depot and Staples — and disposing of your old equipment is illegal and can carry hefty fines in some states, including California.
It’s an important habit to get into, as well. According to a Slowing down which was released earlier this year, people around the world are throwing away five times more technology than they are recycling.
Here’s what you need to know when refurbishing your old technology.
Read more: Why Our Devices Are Underdeveloped, and How You Can Help
Wherever you choose to take or send your items for recycling, you’ll want to make sure you protect your data by deleting it as much as possible before doing so. One way to do this is to do a factory reset on your computer. Our guide they talk to you through channels.
Some stores accept computers and printers for return, but it’s not always a free service. Policies vary by company.
You can restore your old Apple computers, supervisors and peripherals such as printers are free on the Apple Store, but there is an expensive catch. According to Apple Free Recycling program, in order to receive this service, you must also purchase the qualifications Apple computer or supervision. Need an alternative? A third company called Mbawala they buy old MacBooks to restore them. After accepting an offer from Mbawala, you print a pre-paid label or request a pre-paid box and send the machine to them.
Read more: Phone and Laptop Repair Is Going Central, With a Big Push From iFixit
Best Buy accepts up to three household items per person per day for free recycling, and this includes desktop computers and printers, as well as other items, from e-readers to vacuum cleaners. While three is the limit for most products, there is a higher standard for computers — Best Buy will take five of these per home per day. Be aware that administrative waiver laws vary by state, and it’s not always free to do so.
Best Buy also offers a mail recycling service on select items, but it’s also not free. A small box that holds 6 pounds costs $23, while a large box (up to 15 pounds) costs $30.
Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013. The retailer offers a tech marketing in-store and online program where customers can earn a store gift card in exchange for their old computers and printers. If the device does not have a retail value, the company will replace it for free.
Office Depot also sells its own tech recycling boxes that you can fill with electronics to recycle and drop off at stores, but they’re not free. The small boxes cost $8.39 and keep up to 20 pounds; and medium costs $18.29 and hold up to 40 pounds; and grand price $28 and maintain up to 60 pounds.
You can bring your old desktop computers, laptops, printers and more to the Staples Checkout counter for free recycling, even if they weren’t purchased there. The retailer also has a new free home battery recycling box that, according to the rep, has resulted in customers recycling thousands of batteries per week, up from the old average of 50 batteries per week. Here is a list all of which can be returned to Staples.
Read more: How to Factory Reset a MacBook, Windows Laptop or Chromebook
If you don’t live near a major retailer or would prefer to take your computers and printers to a recycling center, you can find a location near you using the search tools provided by Earth911 and the Consumer Technology Association.
Use it recycling center search function on Earth911 to find recycling centers near your ZIP code that accept laptops, desktops and printers. Note that results may also be available at other sites that accept them cell phones not computers or printers, so you may need to do a little filtering.
Check out the Consumer Technology Association’s Green Appliances Recycle Locator to find a local recycling center that will accept your old items. The search function also allows you to filter the results to search separately for sites that host computers versus printers.