Did you know used electronics and small appliances should only be recycled through a company that specializes in the recycling of electronics? Curbside recycling programs are not equipped to handle small electronics or appliances, otherwise known as e-waste. Pieces of glass, plastic, and circuit boards from e-waste will contaminate other materials in the truck and may render those items not recyclable. Continue reading to learn more about the options available locally to properly recycle these e-waste items.
Donate or repair items that are still usable
The Swap Shop located at the Transfer Facility will accept some small e-waste items that are still working. You could also attend a Repair Fair for items that may be able to be fixed. Goodwill will also accept functioning, and often non-functioning electronics items, and will check and repair many of them.
Check with a retailer
Many appliance retailers will recycle an old appliance for free or at a small cost when you buy a new one. Local retailers such as Best Buy and Staples also offer recycling services for certain small household and electronic items.
At Best Buy, you can recycle up to three small items per household per day including items such as surge protectors, DVD players, fans, weather stations, smart thermostats, cables and connectors, and shredders. Haul-away options are available for larger items. For more information, visit this Best Buy web page.
Staples can recycle the following items: computers & Mac®, car and wall chargers, CD/DVD/Blu-ray discs & players, coffee brewers (less than 40 lb.), digital and video
cameras, earbuds and AirPods®, flash drives and hard drives, shredders, label makers and laminators, tablets, iPad® and eReaders, routers and modems, and more. For more information, visit this Staples web page.
It is recommend to call ahead and double check that your item will be accepted for recycling at the retailer before bringing the item in to be recycled.
Find a pick-up service
You can search for appliance recycling pick-up services offered by energy providers or waste management services. One pickup service available locally in South Portland is ComputerBeGone.com. Residents and businesses located within 5 miles can have their computers, laptops, servers, network gear, cellphones and tablets picked up to be recycled at no cost. Small miscellaneous household appliances such as toasters, blenders, or electric kettles may be recycled at a cost of 30 cents per pound plus a pickup fee of $25.00, also for South Portland residents only. You can book a pickup through the ComputerBeGone website.