Recycle Your Old Laptops Phones Cameras And Batteries For Free Here’s How
On Earth Day, don’t throw away your old electronics even if you’ve upgraded to new devices. Here’s what to do.
What do you do with your phone when it’s served its purpose? We’ll give you some options.
Gadgets can pile up over the years — new ones come out, old ones break. You probably have a drawer full of old batteries and cables, and some old phones, laptops and desktops lying around, which may only be growing larger if you replaced any of your electronics over the holidays. Perhaps you keep them for nostalgic reasons or because you thought you might be able to use them again down the line.
Be brave. Stay focused. Peek into your drawers, the garage or a dark corner of your closet, and you’re sure to find a pile of electronics you really don’t need.
Whatever the tech, when it’s finally time to say goodbye, there’s a right way to dispose of your old gadgets — and a lot of wrong ways. I’ll help you out.
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How To Wipe A Chromebook:
Chromebooks are a lot easier than laptops because many of the files and apps youre already using have their data stored on the cloud, on . Getting the Chromebook to factory reset involves clicking on your account photo and opening the Settings menu. Scroll down to the Advanced section and look for the Powerwash section and icon. The process prompts a restart, during which all your personal information will be erased in its entirety.
Tv Recycling Is Possible
Televisions are larger electronics, so it might take a bit more elbow grease to get the job done, but don’t let that intimidate you. As with donating and recycling phones and laptops, there are a few things you need to know about getting rid of an old TV. If the set still works, consider donating it to a secondhand store.
If you’re able to restore it to factory settings, do so for smart TVs that are likely to contain personal information. Unplug everything, bundle the cords neatly and tape them to the unit. Use a dolly and be careful while you’re moving the TV — the potentially toxic materials in the TV could release into your house if you drop it.
A Google search will show a number of local recycling and donation centers that accept larger electronics. Best Buy, for example, allows customers to drop off their TVs in-store to be recycled for $30 per item. Best Buy will also pick up TVs for recycle from your house for $30 when a replacement is being delivered by Geek Squad or Best Buy Home Delivery. If there’s no accompanying delivery, the pickup will cost $100.
Never throw old phones in the trash.
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How To Dispose Of A Laptop Or Computer The Eco
Thinking of throwing away your old laptop? Stop right there! Weâve got some greener ideas.
Trying to figure out how to dispose of a laptop or old computer raises a whole host of questions. Can you throw away a laptop? Can you recycle it? How do you erase your personal data?
And then there are the environmental concerns. We all know waste is bad for the environment, so how can you dispose of a laptop in an eco-friendly way?
Well, look no further. Hereâs your step-by-step green guide to computer and laptop disposal.
Sign Out Of Accounts Disconnect Devices And Erase Your Hard Drive
After you save your personal information, however you save it, sign out of all your online accounts from the computer youre getting rid of. Un-pair your computer from Bluetooth devices like a mouse, keyboard, or wireless display.
Then, erase your computers hard drive. Look for a program or function on your computer that will let you erase all your files from the hard drive and reset it to factory settings. If it doesnt have one, look for expert reviews online to see what programs are out there and which ones are compatible with the type of computer and hard drive you have.
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What If Theres No Recycling Center Nearby
Most urban and suburban cities will have several retailers that can recycle your laptop battery or, if not that, a waste management service that can recycle electronics, including batteries.
Rural areas are a different story. You may discover that your nearest recycling center is an hours drive away or more. Thats inconvenient, but dont fret yet. You may have another option.
Nearly all laptop manufacturers provide a laptop recycling program. Most manufacturers will recycle a laptop they’ve made for free and even pay the cost of shipping the computer back to the company. Some also offer free recycling of any computer from any brand if you purchase a new laptop or desktop from the company. The manufacturers customer service website will provide instructions.
Here are links to the programs run by the worlds largest laptop manufacturers.
Whats the catch? Unfortunately, this service may apply to the entire laptop and not to the battery alone. It’s likely to reject a laptop with a battery the company considers non-serviceable. The manufacturer will likely offer the option to replace the battery while keeping the laptop but will charge a fee for performing that service.
Hack Someone’s Computer Remotely Without Ip And Any Technology Knowledge
Hacking a computer via IP address is possible. However, there are several preconditions and limitations of this method the main hurdle is the requirement of high-level hacking knowledge.
So, hacking via IP address is possible but it is not an executable method. That being said, there is an easy way to hack into someone’s computer. And it can be done by anyone without any technical knowledge.
But this procedure requires software that has such capabilities. For yourself, it can takes days to locate an average tool with hacking capabilities and there is also a risk that you will install something on your computer that contains malware. So, we recommend using ClevGuard MoniVisor – Computer Hacking Tool. It is the safest and most reliable option available on the market. Operation is simple and installation is easy.
It works with a target computer based hidden software and the online dashboard in your end to finish the aim of hacking and spying. The use of it doesn’t need any technical skills and you can finished it within 5 minutes to get almost every files remotely.
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A Complete Guide To Electronics Disposal
With technology advancing at a rapid rate, electronic waste, or e-waste, is at an all-time high. In fact, according to the EPA, 2.84 million tons of e-waste was generated in 2017. That number is sure to climb as we accumulate more devices, which is predicted to be 13.6 devices per household by 2023 â up from 8.4 devices in 2018. However, if you arenât getting rid of your electronics properly, there are hazardous materials that could be introduced into the environment such as beryllium, lead and mercury. Additionally, e-waste contains materials that can be recycled such as nickel and zinc.
From donation to disposal, check out the choices below to see what the best e-waste disposal option is for you.
Computer And Smartphone Brand’s Green Credentials
Ever wondered about the green credentials of your computer, or any one of the many tech devices you own? Some manufacturers helpfully provide environmental information on their websites to explain their recycling schemes and green credentials, while others don’t give much away. This can make it difficult to compare between brands without having consistent information on their environmental impact.
Greenpeace has been producing the Guide to Greener Electronics since 2006 and has been tracking how the largest consumer electronics companies are managing their environmental impact. The latest report ranks 17 companies on three critical measures energy, resource consumption and chemicals.
- Energy rates the reduction of greenhouse gases though efficiency and renewable energy.
- Resource consumption focuses on sustainable design and the use of recycled materials.
- Chemicals rates the elimination of hazardous chemicals in the products and in manufacturing.
You can read the full report card for free at the Greenpeace website, but in terms of companies operating in Australia:
- Apple is the only manufacturer with a reasonable overall score of B-, scoring well for its work to renewable energy but stumbling thanks to to poor commitment to sustainable resource design and high-turnover due to short periods of planned obsolescence.
- Amazon, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi all fail due to poor or non-existent policies and limited transparency.
- Every other major manufacturer sits between C+ and D-.
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How To Properly Dispose Of Laptop Batteries
In the event that you find a nearby recycling center, its easy to dispose of a laptop battery. Recycling centers near you can be found. Placing your laptops battery in a disposable plastic bag is a good way to protect it. In step one, you found a recycling center where you can dispose of the battery.
Tablet And Cell Phone Disposal Options
When youâre upgrading to the latest smartphone or tablet, youâll need to figure out how to get rid of your old one. Check out the sections below to see if tossing, selling, donating or recycling is the best option for you.
Can You Throw Away A Phone or Tablet?
Dumpster Rental
If youâre cleaning out your home and come across an old cell phone or tablet, go ahead and throw it in your roll off dumpster rental.
Curbside Trash Pickup
Phones and tablets are not considered bulk items like other e-waste. Check with your government to see if electronics are allowed in your curbside trash.
Local Collection Events
Hazardous waste collection events are often the best place to get rid of your devices if your state considers e-waste hazardous. Call ahead to find out details.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Phones and Tablets
Can I Sell My Phone or Tablet?
Secondhand phone and tablet sales are more common than you might think. However, there are some factors you should know before you put your old device on the market.
Can I Donate My Phone or Tablet?
If it still works, donating your device might be the best option to keep it out of the landfill. Start by contacting charities or donation centers in your area to find out if they are currently in need of your device. Also let the nonprofit know the model of phone or tablet youâre hoping to donate, as smart devices quickly become out of date and the donation center may not accept it because itâs too old.
Can I Recycle My Phone?
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How To Secure Your Data Before Disposal
Whether youâre throwing out a computer, cell phone or television, you should take steps to ensure that your personal information is kept safe. If you opt to use a professional service, the EPA recommends using a company with either R2 or e-Stewards certification. If you want to secure your devices yourself, follow these steps to eliminate your data.
If you donât already have your data backed up, nowâs the time to do it. The most common options are to use an external hard drive or one of the various cloud storage options. However, if you already have a replacement, you can also do a direct data transfer to the new device.
Many smaller devices such as phones or tablets offer expandable memory via SD or PCMCIA cards. These cards often become the default saving spot for files like videos and photos. Be sure to check and remove your memory card before getting rid of your device.
Nearly all electronic devices can be reset to factory settings. How to do it, though, can be different for each device. Some devices have a physical button you must hold in for a specific time, while others involve a combination of keys. Consult your user manual to see how to reset your device before disposal.
How Are Computers Recycled
Recycling old computers, laptops, and other personal electronic devices involves breaking the items down and reusing their recyclable materials, such as metals, plastics, and electrical components, to create new, valuable products.
Computers are made from a variety of valuable sources, such as:
- Copper
- Plastic
- Palladium
Many of these materials can be melted down and reused over and over again without altering their properties. To ensure these items get properly recycled and dont end up in the landfill, youll need to take these items directly to the recycling facility.
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Removing Your Data And Files
Recycling Is The Right Way To Discard An Old Battery
- Use Call2Recycles locator tool to find a battery recycling center near you.
- You can dispose of undamaged laptop batteries at a recycling center for free.
- Putting old laptop batteries in the trash could cause harm to the environment.
This article outlines how to dispose of or recycle a laptop battery.
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Is It Illegal To Throw Away Computers
Computers and mobile devices are constantly becoming obsolete. With so many new devices flooding the markets, what do we do with all of these older devices? Thats not to mention tablets, desktops, and laptops. Technology is advancing rapidly. Each year we generate around 40 million tons of electronic waste worldwide. Thats like throwing away over 69 million laptops a day. Thats why its so important to ensure that the waste we generate does not end up in landfills. Especially since it may be illegal.
Everybody knows that a lot of states ban certain items from landfills. Common items include car batteries, medical waste, motor oil, and paint, for example.
For those who do have those types of wastes to be disposed of, there are usually alternative means of getting rid of them. Car batteries and used motor oil, for example, can be taken to most AutoZones stores, which also accept used transmission fluid and gear oil.
But now a growing number of states are also adding used electronics to the list of items that are banned from going into landfills and making sure that rule gets enforced.
However, its also important to note that some states do make it illegal to dispose of electronics, including California.
The Golden State has a lengthy list of items that cant go into landfills, including cars, computers, medical needles, mercury thermostats, appliances, and NiCad batteries. Electronics are on the list as well, and that includes laptops, monitors and printers.
Ask Yourself Do You Really Need To Dispose Of The Laptop
Energy, fuel and resources are used to build new computers and laptops. So before you start looking at how to dispose of your laptop, you need to ask yourself, do you really need to get rid of it in the first place? Do you really need a new one? And if your current laptop does have an issue, could it be repaired or have its software upgraded rather than replaced?
Why is this important? Well, it comes back to the core principles of reducing waste that goes to landfill â reduce, reuse and recycle . âReduceâ in this context means reducing the number of natural resources you use â so you only buy things you really need. Hence the questions above.
The reason itâs important to reduce and reuse first is that theyâre the most environmentally friendly options. Although recycling is better for the environment than sending something to a landfill, it still uses energy and resources like fuel and water. This means recycling inevitably increases your carbon footprint and environmental impact.
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How To Destroy A Hard Drive After Removing It From Your Computer So That Its Contents Can Never Be Recovered
- You can destroy a hard drive by wiping its contents and disassembling its parts for ultimate security.
- If you’re donating, selling, or recycling a computer, you’ll want to make absolutely sure you’re not giving away the personal and private information on your hard drive.
- Here’s how to disassemble and destroy your hard drive with just a few common tools.
- Visit Business Insider’s Tech Reference library for more stories.
When you’re selling, donating, or recycling a computer, it’s critical that you ensure you’re not accidentally giving someone else access to your personal and private data stored on the computer. One way to do that is to thoroughly wipe your old hard drive – for details on how to do that, see our article on fully wiping your computer’s hard drive.
You can go further, though. For the ultimate personal security, you can remove the hard drive from your computer before you give it away and destroy the drive. That’s not as hard as it sounds, and ensures your old data is completely inaccessible to anyone ever again.