Did you know that Americans throw away 9.4 million tons of electronics every year? If you are looking for ways to recycle electronics for your small business but do not want to break the bank doing so, you are in the right place.
Keep reading to learn your options when it comes to e-waste recycling.
Local Programs and Partners
One place to start is by researching local resources to see what recycling programs they offer. Do an internet search to see what your city and state offer as far as recycling programs go. There are usually local electronics stores or buyback programs that are focused on moving a large number of electronics to keep them out of the landfills.
If you expect your business to have ongoing recycling needs then you might want to consider partnering up with an e-waste recycling company that has experience with the correct procedures of disposing of electronics.
Trade-In Programs
Depending on the types of electronics your company has to recycle you might have the option to trade in old electronics for money. Stores such as GameStop and Walmart have trade-in programs for TVs, gaming devices, cell phones, etc.
Keep in mind that usually, you will not make tons of money when you trade in electronics but when you are purchasing new items the trade-in will help make the new electronics more affordable.
Buyer Beware
You might not realize that not all recycling companies are created equal. You really want to do your research and check out the recycler's reputation before dropping off your electronics. A reputable company such as CJD E-Cycling will not mind showing you their certifications if you ask for them.
One certification that will help you know how honest the company is, is the ROIS certification. This is a perfect gauge to know whether or not they know what they are doing. Unfortunately, there are some recyclers that really do not recycle and instead they ship out the waste overseas to burn them or to not dispose of it properly.
Changing Laws
Sometimes e-waste recycling laws can change every year because the laws evolve over time. Right now around 25 states have laws to recycle electronics while other states are taking new legislation into consideration.
Some laws have certain fees and fines when the laws are not followed. Other states also have really helpful tools and resources to help those companies that are recycling.
Thankfully there are plenty of states that have made their electronic waste programs with the responsibility based on the manufacturer instead of focusing on the buyer. What this means for you is that you can probably just get in touch with the manufacturer of your electronics and ask them what their recycling program is.
Ready to Recycle Electronics?
Now that you have the ins and outs about how to recycle electronics you can do your part to reduce e-waste in this world. It will feel good to do your part as a business owner to be environmentally responsible with your e-waste.
Found this blog post on electronics recycling to be helpful? Browse around the rest of this section for some more informative reads. We publish a wide variety of articles on electronics, used gadgets, upcycling, metal recycling, and sustainability right here on Bootstrap Business.
