How many old or unused electronics do you have sitting around the house? Not sure what to do with your outdated computer or cell phone?

This week is National Recycling Week and the world has been said to toss over 20 million metric tons of electronics a year (that’s like over 45,500 fully loaded 747s), according to Well Home. The rapid growth in our landfills means it is more important than ever to dispose of e-waste properly.
 
Ready to get rid of that old computer sitting in your basement? 
When you are recycling your computer it is important to make sure that your personal data is removed from your hard drive. In some cases the organization offering e-waste recycling can do this for you and provide you with a certified document verifying the information removal.  You do not want to simply move your sensitive data to the recycle bin icon on your computer, as that does not permanently delete  the files from your hard drive.
 
Check out the other computer items you can recycle.

• Ink and toner cartridges

• Compact and floppy disks

• Computer monitors and CPUs

• Keyboards and mice

• Laptops

Now your computer is ready to be recycled. Don’t stop there.
 
These electronics can also be recycled.

• MP3 Players

• Cellular phones and other telephones

• Cassette and video tapes

• Video gaming consoles

• Batteries

• Compact fluorescent light bulbs

• Office machines (Fax, scanners, copiers, printers)

• TVs

• DVD players

• VCRs

• Audio and video cables

• Stereos

• Alarm Clocks

Check with your local recycling center or city offices to find out where you can recycle these old items.

What is done with your recycled e-waste? 
 
Your electronics can be used to recover parts and materials used to create new or refurbished products. A few of the natural resources found in e-waste are aluminum, plastics, copper and other metals. Providing these items to a recycling facility will help keep the landfills from piling up.