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Recycling electronics

Where to start:

Give cell phones back to their manufacturers or donate them to charity.
Return iPods to Apple for recycling or sell them for parts.
Keep old TVs out of landfills by taking them to a safe e-cycling facility.
Take e-waste to stores like Best Buy and Staples that have recycling programs.
Search Earth 911's database of recycling locations across the U.S.

More about: Recycling electronics

Computers, cell phones, game players — we upgrade and toss out the old ones fast. But these gadgets can't go into the garbage because they're filled with toxic materials. Many manufacturers and retailers are starting to take their electronics back, so you don't have to deal with it. Or find a responsible recycler near you.

Recycling your cell phone just got easier

While some cell phone companies are introducing convenient ways for you to recycle your phone once you're done with it, a new start-up is making it just plain simple.

How to better reuse and recycle old electronics

What the world is doing -- and what you can do -- to ensure usable electronics are used, and valuable parts are harvested from unusable models.

Buying a new TV? You may want to wait until May '10

When new Energy Star standards take effect, the best TV sets will be 40% more energy efficient than most on the shelves today.

Apple offering schools free computer recycling - for now

Apple is making recycling electronics easy for schools by offering to recycle old computers for free, but like any great offer, it's limited.

New report claims e-waste will peak in 2015, then decline

A new report from Pike Research, a firm that analyzes global clean technology trends, states that the e-waste problem will continue and grow through 2015, but that the tide will turn in 2016 as recycling efforts finally catch up to the amount of electroni

Four ways to give to charity by recycling your cell phone

In honor of National Cell Phone Recycling Week, here are some ideas for giving your old cell phone a second life and benefiting those who are less fortunate.

All set: On LCD vs. plasma TVs

In general, from what I read on CNET and Consumer Reports, When per-inch consumption is measured, LCD televisions are more efficient than plasma, but screen size is key. A smaller plasma, for instance, will be comparable to a larger LCD.

The resolution will be digitized: on the digital conversion

What should people be doing with their old TVs if they decide to opt out of converter boxes and just buy a new one?

Seven questions to ask before buying electronics

Ask these 7 questions before buying electronics, and you can be confident that you're making a wise, ethical and green decision.

Five recycling mysteries solved!

You can't dump stuff like batteries and motor oil in the trash, but curbside recycling probably won't take them. Get tips on how to easily and safely dispose of common household junk.

Get ready for the digital TV transition

Find the cheapest, greenest, and easiest options to keep watching TV when stations switch over to digital this year.

Greening your electronics

Upgrading your computer or cell phone doesn't have to send plastics and hazardous chemicals to the landfill. Learn to buy green, extend the life of your products, and recycle carefully.

Recycling by mail

Corks, shoes, and other plasticky items can be recycled by mail. Here's where to send what.

Let go of the old phone

The EPA estimates that there are 100 million unused cell phones stashed in homes across the country. Here are several options for disposing of them responsibly.

Radio Shack Offers Cash For Old Gear

E-waste is loaded with toxic heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium. It's a good thing, then, that Radio Shack is offering some decent incentives to recycle old computers, TVs and cell phones.

A look inside electronics recycling

Video from our recent visit to an e-waste recycler in San Jose, California, where we saw with our own eyes what goes on with those unwanted TVs, cell phones, and computers...

Japan's landfills abound with gold, silver, and platinum

Millions of electronics discarded each year have created so-called "urban mines" -- and are evidence of the progress still to be made recycling.

Free recycling programs get needed attention

Now there is no excuse to see a computer in a Texas landfill: A state law, enacted on Labor Day, requires any company selling a computer to offer a free consumer recycling program.

Recycling an old iPod

Give your old iPod back to Apple or recycle it for cash, among other options, and you can move on to the next song with a clear conscience.

What to do with your crummy old iPhone

The greenest cell phone is the one you're currently using. But if you have to have the new iPhone, what's the best way to dispose of your old one?