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!

    • Rozz@lemmy.sdf.org
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      1 year ago

      This is my favorite answer. Even my wife, who complains about all the old electronics I save, laughed.

  • Monkey With A Shell@lemmy.socdojo.com
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • Hot Saucerman@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    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.

    • Jim@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      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.

    • sanols@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      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?

      • Hot Saucerman@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        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.

  • Jakylla@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Here in France, most of the hardware stores have bins to drop old/defected/unused elecronics and batteries (and if bins are not available to the customers, simply ask the main helpdesk usualy they will take your old stuff). I imagine there is some kind of repurposing/recycling organization (usually it’s the store itself to earn a bit of material sell, and for the rest, some non profit org. based sorting and recycling centers)

  • Eddie@lemmy.lucitt.social
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    1 year ago

    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.

    • Magrid@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      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

  • haohao@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    Keep them in a drawer because “I’ll need them some day”(I don’t think I’ll actually need them)

    • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      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.

  • dan@upvote.au
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • Lianrepl@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Most places that sell Electronics in my country will take ewaste and recycle them for you for free

  • ProtonBadger@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    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.

  • averageshade@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    I keep a few old phones as spares but if I don’t use them, they get recycled. I have a ton of electronics that aren’t used, but could still be for the right project. It’s nice to have parts whenever you need them.

  • FiniteLooper@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    If you have old batteries or something like a UPS that is mostly a battery you can (and should) take it to a battery recycling center. A general recycling center near me does that, but also some stores like Best Buy will collect and recycle them too. Years ago I dropped off a non-functioning UPS there and it was super simple. I would have felt terrible throwing that away in the trash.