Gadgets Are Not Being Recycled Enough, Here’s How You Can Help

Phone upgrades continue to offer less, and we keep our phones longer than we used to. But whenever we finally upgrade to the next big phone, we throw away a lot of our old ones, according to a UN Global E-waste Monitor report released earlier this year.

We do this at a rate that is almost five times faster than the rate of recycling similar materials.

The volume of electronic waste generated rose from 34 billion kilograms (about 75 billion pounds) to 62 billion kilograms (about 137 billion pounds) between 2010 and 2022, according to a U.N. report. To underscore the point, the report estimates that the 62 billion kilograms of electronic waste would fit on 1.55 million trucks, creating a line that would wrap around the Earth’s equator.

Meanwhile, the amount of e-waste that was documented and recycled increased from 8 billion kilograms to just 13.8 billion kilograms during the same period.

The UN’s International Telecommunication Union has set a goal for 50% of the world’s countries (97 nations) to adopt policies, legislation or regulations to address electronic waste by 2023. But the report shows that efforts are slowing down, with only 81 countries, or 42%, doing anything to address electronic waste. There are factors that can distort accurate data. Systems for documenting and reporting electronics recycling vary widely from country to country.

Here’s what you can do to deal with old electronics.

Check this out: How to Recycle Your Old Phone or Electronic Devices

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How to recycle electronic devices

There’s no need to throw away old phones, batteries, computers, and other gadgets when there are plenty of free, easy ways to recycle electronics. You can mail them, take them to a recycling center, a large retailer like Best Buy or Home Depot, or sometimes even the manufacturer of the product.

For example, if you live near an Apple store, you can recycle your old iPhone or other Apple products, and some of those products may be eligible for a refund. According to the Apple Reuse and Recycling Program, returning your devices can “help us get closer to making every product from 100% recyclable and renewable materials.”

Here are places where you can recycle your old computers and printers for free.

For larger IT recycling needs, Dell Asset Recovery Services will accept and safely handle your equipment, even if it’s not manufactured by Dell. If your company or group of friends has 10 or more phones to recycle, Smartphone Recycling accepts devices in bulk with a free printable FedEx shipping label. In addition to phones, the company accepts Apple products and other tablets.

You can also repair your old devices, with iFixit offering DIY guides, and tech companies now making it easier to remove and replace damaged parts. If you don’t like the DIY route, you can also return your device to the manufacturer or a third party for repair.

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