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Products

Electronic Equipment and Product Stewardship

Manufacturer & Retailer Takeback Programs

NWPSC supports the efforts of manufacturers and retailers to create product takeback programs. A takeback program is where a manufacturer or retailer will accept used electronic products back from their customers and will recycle, reuse, or dispose of the product properly. Listed below are companies that support a product takeback program and promote product stewardship principles for electronic equipment.

Other Takeback Programs
In March 2008, the US Postal Service launched a pilot mail back program that allows customers to recycle small electronics and inkjet cartridges by mailing them free of charge. Customers use free envelopes found in 1,500 Post Offices to mail back inkjet cartridges, PDAs, Blackberries, digital cameras, iPods and MP3 players without having to pay for postage. The free, postage-paid Mail Back envelopes can be found on displays in Post Office lobbies in selected areas. The pilot is starting in 10 areas across the country, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and San Diego. Read the US Postal Service electronics mail back program press release.

Computers and Peripherals

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Apple

Beginning in June 2006, Apple customers that purchase a new computer or monitor from either a retail Apple Store or the online Apple Store can participate in the Apple Free Recycling Program for Computers and Monitors. Apple Free Recycling is offered to consumers, customers at the Apple Store for education, individual purchasers, and small business customers.

Qualified purchasers are eligible to recycle one computer, one monitor, and peripheral from any manufacturer with each qualifying purchase transaction. If you choose to participate, Apple will send instructions for packaging your old equipment for shipping to the recycler. Apple also offers free recycling of iPods and cell phones with no purchase necessary.

Best Buy

Best Buy
On June 2, 2008, Best Buy announced that 117 retail stores in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, the Baltimore/DC area, and the San Francisco Bay Area will participate in an expanded free electronics recycling pilot program. As part of the new program, consumers can bring up to two pieces of unwanted electronic equipment, per day, to any participating location free of charge, even if the retailer has not sold the merchandise initially.

The list of acceptable items includes computer processors, computer monitors and televisions with screens up to 32 inches. See a press release from As You Sow to learn more.

Best Buy will continue to offer a mail back program that allows consumers to trade-in or recycle any qualifying consumer electronic product. Electronic products accepted for trade-in include PCs, laptops, servers, computer monitors, digital cameras, camcorders, multimedia projectors, audio receivers, game systems, mobile phones, PDAs, Ipods and GPS navigation systems. Customers can access Best Buy Trade-In Center to determine their trade-in value online. If the item has a trade-in value, payment for the trade will be made via a Best Buy gift card, good for purchases at any Best Buy store. Customers will be provided a pre-paid shipping label in order to mail the items to the company.

Through Best Buy's Consumer Electronics Recycling Program, consumers can recycle their old televisions or household appliances for free when they purchase new products from Best Buy. Consumers who have their product delivered through the company will be able to hand over their end-of-life products to the delivery employee for transportation.

Drop-off kiosks, located at Best Buy US retail stores, are available for consumers to drop off old cell phones, rechargeable batteries, and ink-jet cartridges at no cost. Customers who purchase a new phone may also return old phones by mail with a postage-paid envelope.

On April 2, 2007, Best Buy announced that they will offer recycling grants to help increase the electronics recycling opportunities for communities across the country. Grants will range from $500 to $1,500, based on the size and scope of an event program and the recycling need of the area. Those eligible to apply include non-profit organizations, cities, townships, counties, or public-private partnerships. The goal of the project is to help consumers nationwide to dispose of their old electronics in ways that are safe, smart, and considerate of their impact on the environment.

Canon E-Store

In July 2005, Canon USA Inc. launched a fee-based recycling program, which includes consumer electronics. The Canon Consumer Electronic Products Recycling Program allows U.S. customers to recycle Canon products by ordering a shipping label online.

Customers can recycle binoculars, camcorders, cameras, compact photograph printers, film, scanners and video equipment for $6 plus sales tax. Flatbed scanners, inkjet printers, fax machines and multifunction all-in-one machines can be recycled for $12 plus sales tax. Laser fax machines, personal computer copiers and other large equipment cost $36 plus sales tax to recycle.

Circuit City

Circuit City
Circuit City customers may trade-in or recycle any qualifying consumer electronic product. Electronic products accepted for trade-in include PCs, laptops, servers, computer monitors, digital cameras, camcorders, multimedia projectors, audio receivers, game systems, mobile phones, PDAs, Ipods and GPS navigation systems.

Customers can access EZTradein.com to determine their trade-in value online. If the item has a trade-in value, payment for the trade will be made via a Circuit City gift card, good for purchases at any Circuit City store. Customers will be provided a pre-paid shipping label in order to mail the items to the company.

Costco
Costco now offers its customers a broader electronics trade-in and recycling program and has increased its recycling capabilities by expanding to cover products like cell phones, LCD monitors, digital cameras, MP3 players, and gaming systems by partnering with Gazelle, an electronics trade-in company. Via a website powered by Gazelle.com, customers can trade-in old gadgets and electronics and receive a Costco cash card shortly thereafter for use at any Costco warehouse or at Costco.com.

Costco’s Trade-In and Recycle Program is accepting both trade-in and recycling of electronic items. For those items which cannot be recycled, Gazelle is providing information on where and how to properly recycle or dispose of them. The Trade-In & Recycle Program is available to all Costco members and Gazelle is providing boxes and free shipping on all transactions with a value of at least $1.

Dell

In November 2008, office supply retailer Staples (Framingham, Massachusetts) and IT equipment manufacturers Dell (Round Rock, Texas) announced a partnership to allow customers to recycle Dell branded PCs, monitors, keyboards, printers, mice and other peripherals at any of Staples' 1,500 U.S. stores for recycling, free-of-charge and without having to make a purchase. Staples is the first and only national retailer to offer Dell customers a free drop-off recycling option for their office technology.

Dell also offers no-charge recycling of any Dell-branded product and also offers free recycling of old computer equipment of any brand with the purchase of a new Dell PC. For more information, visit Dell's Recycling website.

Epson

The Epson Recycling Program will take back most Epson products including printers, scanners, cameras, laptops, computers and projectors. Customers pay $10 per item to cover shipping costs, but will receive a $5 coupon per item recycled towards a purchase at the Epson Store. Used Epson products are recycled through a licensed recycling facility which will evaluate the components and then shred the products.

Gateway

The Gateway Trade-in and Recycle Program for home computer users, offers cash or recycling for old technology when purchasing a new Gateway or eMachines product.

Products that can be refurbished or recycled include: desktop and laptop computers, digital cameras, multimedia projectors, home audio receivers, cell phones, car audio receivers, computer monitors, camcorders, game systems, PDAs or hand held computers, and Apple Ipods. Gateway works with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) to recycle rechargeable batteries.

HP	HP offers several reuse and recycle options including Trade-in to upgrade to an HP product, return computers for refurbishing, recycling and donation:

The HP Trade-In program accepts products from any manufacturer including computers, copiers, digital cameras, monitors, PDAs, notebooks, scanners and more. Customers trading in less than 50 items may receive an immediate online quote; the Trade-In program also accepts large quantities.
Through the HP Asset Recovery Services program, HP will pay companies for qualified computer equipment from any manufacturer that can be refurbished and resold.
HP's Product Recycling program offers take back of computer hardware for a fee including printers, computers, monitors, scanners, and hand held devices such as PDAs and iPods. The cost of the automated, on-line computer hardware recycling service ranges from $13-$34 per item, depending on the type and quantity of hardware to be returned. Consumers need to provide the list of specific items that are recycled and the number of boxes that will be shipped. Detailed instructions and shipping labels are provided to the consumer.
HP's Product Recycling program also offers take back for inkjet or Laserjet cartridges for free.

HP contracts with Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) to recycle cell phones and rechargeable batteries. To learn more about recycling at HP, view a video of HP's recycling process. In 2006, HP offered a series of electronic product collection events in Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Oregon. The collection events accepted a range of products from any manufacturer at no charge.

Lenovo

Lenovo’s Eco Take-Back program allows consumers and small businesses in the US to mail-in their electronic products for recycling or reuse. Products accepted include desktops, cell phones, smartphones, laptops, flat panel monitors, music players, CRT monitors, keyboards, mice, power cords, phone chargers and batteries.

Customers can determine their trade-in value online. If the item has a trade-in value, payment for the trade will be made via a pre-paid Visa card. If the product does not qualify for a trade-in value, Lenovo will still accept the product for recycling as long as it is eligible to be collected by the program. Customers who ship any Lenovo or select IBM products will receive a prepaid shipping label in order to mail their equipment for free. Electronic products that can be reused may be donated to other organizations or sold overseas.

Lexmark

Through the Lexmark Recycling Program, customers can return Lexmark inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges and printers. Inkjet cartridges can be returned for free by using prepaid mailers. Toner cartridges can be returned for free by using prepaid mailers or through participating Lexmark authorized supplies resellers.

Printers can be returned for recycling by mail and customers must pay the cost of shipping. For more information on Lexmark Take Back program, please review the 2003 Test of Manufacture Mail-Back Programs report prepared by the Snohomish County Solid Waste Management Division.

LG Electronics

LG Electronics has partnered with Waste Management Inc. to establish the LG Electronics Recycling Program. The take-back program will allow consumers to recycle their used, unwanted, obsolete or damaged LG consumer electronic products by dropping them off at designated Waste Management eCycling Centers.

Waste Management currently has 160 designated drop-off sites across the United States and plans to have at least one drop-off site in each state by September 2008. Products covered by the take-back program include LG, Zenith and GoldStar brands of televisions, monitors, audio equipment, video cassette players and recorders, DVD players and recorders, combination TV/VCR and TV/DVD units, set top boxes and accessories associated with those products. Consumers may drop off up to 5 LG-branded items at a time. There is no fee to consumers for the covered LG-brand products; other brands will be accepted, but a fee may be charged by Waste Management for non-LG brands.

Cell phones, GPS and PDA devices, along with their accessories, can be dropped off at any Waste Management Recycle America eCycling Center. Consumers also have the option to mail-in their cell phone, GPS and PDA devices through LG Electronics' Mobile Phones Recycling Program without paying shipping costs.

MRM

Electronic manufacturers Panasonic, Sharp and Toshiba have established a joint company called Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company (MRM) to serve the needs of manufacturers who will be responsible for the financing and implementation of electronic product recycling programs in various states that have passed producer responsibility laws.

In November 2008, MRM expanded its operations in Minnesota and Texas to include California, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. MRM will continue to expand its services in order to operate a national take-back and recycling program that is open to all manufacturers. Over 160 collection sites and partners are part of MRM’s collection network.

Office Depot

Office Depot
In September 2008, Office Depot began its Trade-In and Recycling Program, available to Office Deport customers who can trade or recycle any qualifying consumer electronic product currently offered through the program.

Electronic products accepted for trade-in include PCs, laptops, LCD monitors, digital cameras, camcorders, game systems, printers, Smartphones/PDAs and MP3 players. Customers can determine their trade-in value online. If the item has a trade-in value, payment for the trade will be made via an Office Depot gift card. Customers will receive a prepaid UPS shipping label in order to ship the equipment to the store for free. If the product does not qualify for a trade-in value, customers can recycle their electronic products through Office Depot’s Tech Recycling Service, available at all Office Depot retail store locations in North America. In order to recycle electronic products through the company, customers may buy a Tech Recycling Box at an Office Depot store to fill with unwanted electronics.

Boxes are priced at $5, $10, and $15, and include shipping and handling. Appropriate items to fill the Tech Recycling Box are listed on Office Depot’s Tech Recycling Service Brochure. Once the box is full, customers can return the filled box to an Office Depot store, where it will be inspected and shipped for recycling.

Office Depot guarantees that collected electronic material will not be exported out of the US and will not be sent to landfills. Electronic equipment received by the program will either be reconditioned or recycled.

RadioShack

RadioShack customers may trade-in or recycle any qualifying consumer electronic product. Electronic products accepted for trade-in include MP3 players, cell phones, cameras, camcorders, GPS systems, car audio equipment, laptops, game media and game consoles.

Customers can access RadioShack’s Trade-in Program to determine their trade-in value online. If the item has a trade-in value, payment for the trade will be made via a RadioShack gift card. Customers will be provided a pre-paid shipping label in order to mail the items to the company for free.

Sam's Club

Sam's Club
Starting in April 2008, through the Trade-In and Recycling Program, Sam’s Club members may trade or recycle any qualifying consumer electronic product currently offered by the program. Electronic products accepted for trade-in include PCs, laptops, LCD monitors, digital cameras, camcorders, game systems, printers and MP3 players.

Customers can determine their trade-in value online. If the item has a trade-in value, payment for the trade will be made via a Sam’s Club gift card good for purchases at any Sam’s Club store. If the product does not qualify for a trade-in value, Sam’s Club will accept the product for recycling. For all trade-in and recyclable items, customers will receive a prepaid UPS shipping label in order to ship the equipment to the store for free.

Sony

In September 2007, Sony Electronics partnered with Waste Management Recycle America to create a nationwide consumer electronic manufacturer take-back program in the United States. The Sony Take Back Recycling Program allows homeowners to recycle unwanted Sony electronic products without fees at more than 75 Waste Management (WM) drop-off centers in the US.

The number of drop-off locations will increase over the years and Sony plans to hit 150 within the first year of operation. Sony's end goal is to establish enough drop-off locations to ensure that 95% of the US population will have access to a Waste Management drop-off site within 20 miles of their residence. The program also allows for a mail-in recycling option with participating WM sites. Waste Management drop-off sites within this program will also accept non-Sony based products; however market prices and recycling fees will still apply. Learn more about the Sony Take Back Recycling Program or find a drop-off location.

Sony also gives consumers credit for their old laptops from many manufacturers. The program allows consumers to trade in an old laptop and receive credit toward Sony notebook computers or other products at Sony outlet stores or online. The Sony Style Camera & Camcorder Trade-Up Program allows customers to trade in old cameras or camcorders and receive Sony credit to purchase a Sony camera or camcorder.

Staples
In 2008, Staples partnered with Dell to provide free take-back for end-of-life consumer electronic equipment. Consumers can drop off any amount of Dell-branded PCs, monitors, keyboards, printers, mice and other peripherals at any retail Staples location for recycling, free-of-charge and without having to make a purchase.

The new service expands Staples in-store technology recycling program, which lets customers recycle cell phones and smaller electronics for free, larger office technology such as non-Dell branded computers and printers for a small fee, and ink and toner cartridges in return for $3 back in Staples Rewards. See the November 12, 2008 Dell Press Release for more information.

Toshiba

Toshiba's Trade-In and Recycling Program accepts Toshiba and non-Toshiba brand electronics from consumers for trade-in or recycle in exchange for a refund by mail. Accepted products include computers, notebooks, cameras, camcorders, monitors, game systems, PDAs and MP3 players.

If your item is no longer functioning, or has no trade-in value, it can be recycled for the cost of shipping. Toshiba notebook computers can be recycled free of charge to the consumer with no obligation to buy a new Toshiba computer. Find out if you can trade-in or recycle your product. Toshiba works with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) to recycle cell phones and rechargeable batteries.

Cell Phones

Many cell phone manufacturers take back and recycle their products. Learn more at: