I’ve been accumulating old electronics for about a decade now and I really need to safely dispose of them at this point. I know some cities have drop off spots for recycling, but the one near me charges a fee and appears to cater to business clients. Obviously I’m against tossing them in the bin. It’s small things, like an old iPod touch, Bluetooth speaker etc. What do you all do with your old Ewaste?
Edit: Whew. I’m tired after a long day of…you guessed it…work. Great suggestions in this thread. Thanks y’all!
I save them up to make a broth for soups
This is my favorite answer. Even my wife, who complains about all the old electronics I save, laughed.
Recently I’ve found a place called ‘Free Geek’ that is pretty much a tech-specific thrift shop/non-profit aiming to help eliminate digital divides.
When I first started learning I would go to a lot of second hand stores and just buy old systems to take them apart and see what could be made for a few bucks each, now that I have plenty of my own it’s time to give back to such places.
Free Geek is awesome, but they’re only in a few cities, I know about the ones in Minneapolis and Portland.
RIP Freegeek Chicago :(
There’s one like it in the sf bay area. Called Oakland technology exchange East.
deleted by creator
Keep them in a drawer because “I’ll need them some day”(I don’t think I’ll actually need them)
Just this week I used a 20-year-old Radio Shack Canada Nexxtech 3.5mm mic/speaker USB connector and a DP-to-DVI connector I didn’t even know I had, in all the myriad tech junk I’m embarrassed to admit to hoarding.
I try to repurpose as much of my old electronics as I can.
One old laptop and an old iMac are now Pi-Holes running Ubuntu Core, blocking ads and ensuring that if one of them goes down, the other will be there to take requests.
I have a couple old desktop PCs running stuff, too. I have turned one into a basic NAS with TrueNAS and have another for testing various setups before moving them to “production.”
I have an old SteamLink still kicking and still using it as a SteamLink, works great.
Old phones I turned into webcams placed in numerous places so I can have the camera’s “follow” me throughout my place during a video-chat.
I turned an RCA Cambio tablet into a “television” for my tiny kitchen, mounted on the wall and always connected to my Plex server.
Sooooooooo many electronics still work when they’re past useful as a “daily driver.” I try my best to find places for them, and I hold on to extra parts that still work and sometimes build PCs for people who can’t afford one. That way they can have something relatively recent and functioning. With older hardware, you can still get modern operating systems on there with the likes of Xubuntu and Lubuntu, both which run pretty well on older/underpowered hardware (Lubuntu for real old low end stuff).
There used to be a great local electronics recycler here that I would drop off stuff that was officially End of Life in that it stopped working, but they went out of business during COVID and I haven’t found a proper replacement yet. Best Buy only takes limited items and only a limited amount.
Look at modern-day MacGyver over here, actually finding a use for old gen electronics.
jk that’s really cool tbh, especially utilizing the cameras from old phones.
Unironically trying to live like the guy from Pi. Except maybe not crazy enough to try trepanation.
Could you elaborate on your video chat solution? That sounds super cool!
Do you manually have to select the cameras, or do you have some sort of tracking system that switches the cameras as you move throughout your residence?
I use a plugin called scene switcher in OBS. I’ve been trying to work up something that changes based on movement, but at the moment, I have to manually switch and know where I am headed.
Using an old steam link as a steam link is brilliant!
Also all the other stuff
Most places that sell Electronics in my country will take ewaste and recycle them for you for free
Depending on generation the iPod touch sells for $60-300 on EBay. I always check first if I can sell on EBay or Craigslist. I just sold an ancient Toshiba laptop for $100.
In a bag. Under the stairs. Know as the tech graveyard
I recall official (not 3rd party) Verizon stores having a receptacle for old phone disposal. Even try AT&T or T Mobile as old electronic disposal is quite routine for all three.
I’m a big fan of taking old electroics, taking them apart, and then organizing them neatly in a frame, like this example.
If you are going to keep electronics however, I definitely recommend removing the battery and recycling it. Phones aren’t fire hazards but batteries definitely are, especially the ones in the old iPods.
I’m a big fan of taking old electroics, taking them apart, and then organizing them neatly in a frame, like this example
that’s so cool
Already been said, but that really is so cool 😎
Most of mine are old computer components. I’ve taken some of them and made a home server, and the rest I keep around for builds for friends and family. Everything else I put in a bin for future projects
I know that there’s a place at UCLA where you can drop them on certain days, run by the LA Sanitation Department, but I tried googling and it was buried under listings that, like you said, charge a fee and cater to businesses. (They’re interested in 20 computers, not your meager hoard.) So maybe your city does have something but it’s listed under Hazardous Waste. If you already know where to drop old solvents and meds, it might be there or they might know.
Check your local recycling centers to see if they take it. My local one takes ewaste for free (as well as water-based paint, motor oil, cardboard, paper, metal, and probably others). The local garbage company takes old batteries for free, you just need to put them in a Ziplock bag on top of the bin on collection day.
you could gift/sell them, maybe you’ll find some interested collector
I would perform exploratory surgery before discarding it.
