Our technological toys make our lives better, but they also contain toxic chemicals that should not enter the environment. When you've moved on to something faster/bigger/shinier, the responsible (and sometimes profitable) thing to do is to find someone who can still get some use out of your digital detritus.

Make some money

If your eWaste still has some cash value, there are places to sell them so that someone else can use it and keep it out of the trash.

Give it to someone that can use it

If you just want it to stop taking up space in your home and you want to make sure it goes to a good home, you can let interested parties know. The advantage is that beggars usually aren't choosers, and if they're nice they'll pick it up from you.

  • The afore-mentioned Craigslist also has a section for posting free stuff
  • Freecycle Ann Arbor is a popular list of things that people are offering or want for free.
  • Goodwill and Dell's Reconnect program will take computers and either fix them up for sale in Goodwill stores or ensure that they're properly recycled. They accept any brand of computer, not just Dell.
  • ReUse Center will accept computers less than 5 years old
  • The AHA Shop will break it down into reusable components and make something new out of it.

Recycle It

There are ways to ensure that the toxic chemicals in eWaste are kept out of the environment. Sometimes tech companies or stores sponsor recycling days where they will accept drop-offs. Please post here if you have more information.

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