Ask Jerry: Where can I recycle my old phone or tablet?

Welcome to Ask Jerry, where we talk about all the questions you might have about the smart things in your life. I'm Jerry and I've spent most of my life working with technology. I have a background in engineering and R&D and have been covering Android and Google for the past 15 years.

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Where can I recycle my electronic waste?

Romit asks:

Hi Jerry,

I have a question regarding recycling old phones where I live. As far as I know, this place does not have an e-waste recycling system. Could you please suggest me how I can dispose of my old phones?

Thank you

Hi Romit, I love this question because I think the most important thing we should talk about when dealing with technology products is how to reuse them properly. Any material that can be recycledThese beloved gadgets are packed with materials that are easily recycled, and if they end up buried in a landfill, that can't happen. Recycling not only helps keep costs under control, but it also helps leave the world in the best possible condition for our children and their children.

The quick answer for anyone who doesn't feel like reading any further is that any legitimate company that sells phones should know where to drop off old ones for recycling or be willing to take them in for proper recycling. If all else fails, that's usually a great option.

This really shows the only problem with the Internet when it comes to collecting information: what applies to… me It may not be the case where you Many of the websites that Google indexes for a search about e-waste recycling are written by people who have easy access to a specific recycling program, whether municipal or private.

This is not always the case and I know it is not because I myself do not have access to either option. I live in a rural area of ​​the US and have no government issued recycling boxes or e-waste centers and private cash recycling companies like green atm There is no kiosk near my house. There is a recycling center, but they only accept plastic bottles and aluminum cans because it is for typical household waste.

However, I can (and do) recycle. Here in the US, we call them “big box stores,” and companies like Best Buy, Lowe’s, and Home Depot accept e-waste and recycle it instead of throwing it in the trash.

There may be similar stores in your area, and they may also be associated with a recycling company that deals with e-waste. It's worth asking if you don't see a kiosk or bin near the store entrance.

Lastly, and this should apply no matter where you live, most stores that sell phones know how to recycle an old phone, even if they don't offer that service. Here in the United States, any AT&T or Verizon store will take your old phones or tablets and make sure they're recycled properly. In Canada, Rogers will do the same.

There probably isn't an AT&T or Rogers phone store in your area, but there's a good chance you have a big box store that sells consumer electronics. They should be able to help you do the right thing and recycle your old equipment.

Finally, one last thing to mention is that you should never send an old phone or tablet to be recycled without… Deleting all your data It's very difficult to extract data or log into an account on Android or iOS without knowing the correct device password, but it is possible. You're probably not a celebrity or politician with people thirsty to read your private data, but you still have banking passwords and other financial information, as well as photos and other pretty personal data tied to your accounts. Don't worry, and factory reset your device before it leaves your house.