Recycling your old computer equipment

If you are like me, you’ve had an old desktop computer, printer, fax machine or cell phone that either is not worth repairing or just outdated and you wonder what to do with it. The choices for many have narrowed over the past few years–most communities will not allow computers, printers and similar equipment to be taken to the transfer station (’the dump’) or to be included in your weekly garbage pile.

Here are a few organizations that will help you recycle or even facilitate a donation of your used equipment to help out with the electronics waste crisis the world is facing.

The National Cristina Foundation offers tech goods and training for students and persons with disabilities.

The Freecycle Network can help you find recipients for your donated tech goods.

Techsoup can help find nonprofit organizations or commercial companies that will reuse or recycle your equipment.

The National Recycling Coalition has a listing of sites and groups that can help you with recycle or donate your computer equipment.

eBay offers some help through their ‘Rethink Initiative‘, providing options for handling your old gear.

Personally, I am happy to be forced into this recycling option–I feel better about doing a little bit for the environment–and am happy to even pay a company to take the equipment off my hands, knowing it will be disposed of in a proper manner.