How to recycle old electronics

If you're a young professional, chances are compact electronic devices are indispensable. Cell phones, handhelds and iPods contain your social calendar, work schedule and contact numbers.

You probably trade up to newer versions often to get the latest technology. That means a lot of old, used electronics being tossed aside. So what do you do with them?

You might throw them out with the trash, but that contributes to landfills, wastes recyclable materials, and in some cases puts toxic metals in the waste stream. So what's the greenest and most convenient way to dispose of these devices?

The answer: Take them back to the company that made them. They might even reward you for it.

"If it's a device that you recharge, then that battery is recyclable," said Mark Kohorst, senior manager for Environment Health and Safety at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

According to Kohorst, virtually all handheld devices and cell phones are powered by rechargeable lithium ion batteries. Many of these batteries contain cobalt, which is expensive to manufacture, he said. So it is much more profitable and cheaper to recycle a rechargeable battery made with cobalt than to toss it out.

Furthermore, some parts can be reused, which not only cuts down on manufacturing costs, but lowers the amount of natural resources that go into making new electronics. Reusing parts also keeps them out of garbage landfills so they won't be mixed in with other types of garbage, such as organic waste.

Almost all cell phone companies, including Motorola, T-Mobile, Nokia, Sprint and Verizon Wireless, have recycling programs set up for old phones. All the customer has to do is bring in the old phone to a company location. The phone is either disassembled and certain parts reused for the manufacturing of new phones, or donated to people who are unable to afford cell phones.

The same goes for Palm, Inc., the corporation behind Palm Centro and Treo smartphones. These handhelds often double as mobile phones, mini-computers with Internet and GPS navigators. Palm has a recycling program for its handhelds, phones and accessories. Its Web site provides information on how to erase personal information from these devices. Once that is done, customers should place the item in a box and attach a postage-paid mailing label (available for download on Palm's Web site), and send it off.

The old devices are evaluated, tested and ultimately sent for materials reclamation or reuse, according to Jennifer Donahue, spokeswoman for Palm. During the reclamation process, metals are safely recovered and made available for reuse, according to Donahue. The process ensures that all products sent in will not end up in a landfill or be sent to underdeveloped countries, according to Donahue. Revenues generated from the reuse of these handhelds also fund the Palm Foundation, a charity that supports educational programs.

Apple Inc. has also set up a special recycling program for iPod products that is conducted through its retail stores. Consumers who bring in an old iPod not only get rid of it in an eco-friendly way, they also receive a 10 percent discount on a new iPod purchase. Like Palm, consumers can also mail their iPods using prepaid mailing labels available on the Apple Web site.

Rechargeable lithium ion batteries are so recyclable; they're subject to recycling by law in some states.

"Even when they're not, they're collected and recycled through RBRC-Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation [1]," Kohorst said. "This is an industry-funded, non-profit corporation that operates in the U.S. and Canada. It's funded by battery-manufacturers and device-manufacturers and exists to facilitate the recycling of rechargeable batteries."

Kohorst recommends taking a rechargeable battery to the nearest RBRC location [2] to be recycled, provided the battery can be removed from the device. If it cannot, the entire device should be taken back to the company.

Some manufacturers are using manganese and nickel in their lithium ion batteries as a cheaper alternative to cobalt. But even then, they should be recycled, according to Kohorst.

Although there are no known toxicity issues associated with lithium ion batteries, other kinds of batteries, such as nickel cadmium batteries, are toxic and should not be disposed of in the trash. Hence, the most foolproof way to get rid of old cell phones and handheld devices in general is either to recycle the battery with RBRC or take the entire device back to the manufacturing company.