Green disposal: Recycle old computers and printers for free

Do you have an old one? Laptop, Desktop or Printer Does this take up space? There are plenty of easy and sustainable options for getting rid of them. Some sites will give you business credit for recycling your old technology.

Getting rid of these items can be as simple as bringing them to major retailers like Best Buy, Office Depot, and Staples — and getting rid of your old appliances is actually illegal and can result in hefty fines in some states, including California.

It’s an essential habit to get into as well. According to A United Nations report Released earlier this year, people around the world dispose of five times more devices than they recycle.

Here’s what you need to know about recycling your old technology.

Read more: Why our devices aren’t recycled enough, and how you can help

What to do before recycling your computer

Wherever you choose to take your items or mail them for recycling, you’ll need to make sure you protect your data by removing them as best you can before doing so. One way to do this is to perform a factory reset on your computer. Our guide He talks you through the process.

Retailers who recycle computers and printers

Some retail stores accept recycling of computers and printers, but it is not always a free service. Policies vary by company.

apple

You can recycle old Apple computers, Monitors And peripherals like printers are free in the Apple Store, but there’s a costly catch. According to Free Apple Recycling To obtain this service, you must also purchase qualifying software Apple computer Or monitor. Need another option? An offshore company called Gazelle He buys old MacBooks To be recycled. After accepting Gazelle’s offer, you can print a prepayment label or order a prepayment box and have the device shipped to them.

Read more: Phone and laptop repair has gone mainstream, thanks to a big push from iFixit

Best buy

Best Buy generally accepts up to Three household items Per person per day for free recycling, including desktop computers and printers, as well as other items ranging from E-readers to Vacuum cleaners. While the limit for most items is three, there’s a higher standard for laptops — Best Buy will take five of them per household per day. Note that rules for delivery of monitoring devices vary by state, and it is not always possible to do so for free.

Best Buy also offers a Postal recycling service For specific items, but this is also not free. A small box that holds up to 6 pounds costs $23, while a large box (up to 15 pounds) costs $30.

Office Depot and OfficeMax

Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013. Retailers offer a Trade in technology An in-store and online program where customers may be able to receive a store gift card in exchange for their old computers and printers. If the device has no trade-in value, the company will recycle it for free.

Office Depot also sells its own tech recycling bins that you can fill with electronics to recycle and then drop off at stores, but they’re not free. the Small boxes cost $8.39 Holds up to 20 lbs; the Medium costs $18.29 Holds up to 40 lbs; and The large one costs $28 And holds up to 60 pounds.

Basic food items

You can bring old desktops, 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 at-home battery recycling bin, which, according to a representative, has led to customers recycling thousands of batteries weekly, compared to the previous average of 50 batteries per week. And here A existing Of everything that can be recycled at Staples.

Read more: How to factory reset your MacBook, Windows Laptop, or Chromebook

How to find technical recycling centers

If you don’t live near a major retailer or prefer to take your computers and printers to a recycling center, you can locate locations near you using search tools provided by Earth911 and the Consumer Technology Association.

Earth911

use Recycling center search function On Earth911 to find recycling centers near your zip code that accept laptops, desktops, and printers. Note that the results may also show some places that accept this Mobile phones Not computers or printers, so you may have to do a little filtering.

The greenest CTA tools

Consult the Consumer Technology Association’s Green Tools Recycling selector To find local recycling centers in your area that will take your old items. The search function also allows you to filter results to search separately for places that use computers versus printers.