Post Office kicks off free, by-mail gadget recycling

Tue Mar 18, 2008 3:27PM EDT

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Got an old camera, cell phone, or MP3 player that you want to toss? Under a new pilot program offered by the U.S. Postal Service, recycling your dead gadgets is as easy as dropping them in the mail.

Computerworld reports that the Post Office's new "Mail Back" program is getting a trial run in 10 U.S. markets, including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. If the pilot program takes off, a nationwide rollout will follow.

So here's the deal: Just bring your old gadgets (handhelds, cell phones, MP3 players, and even inkjet cartridges - no 20" CRTs or dead dot-matrix printers, unfortunately) to one of 1,500 participating post offices, seal them in preprinted, postage-paid envelopes (you can take as many envelopes as you want), and drop them in the mail.

The package goes to Clover Technologies Group, which is partnering with the Post Office in the new recycling program. In a press release, the Post Office promises that Clover will refurbish, resell, or break down the discarded gadgets for recycling, and that nothing will end up in a landfill.

It's a clever idea for those of us with old electronics too outdated to sell on eBay. Indeed, I have an old, 2001-era iPod that's essentially worthless (I priced it over at SecondRotation and got an estimate of exactly $0), and I'd rather drop it in the mail than pay to have it recycled.

Related:
Recycle electronics free by mail [Computerworld]

Comments on Post Office kicks off free, by-mail gadget recycling

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  • 26 Posted by allenyuh on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:51PM EDT Report Abuse

    Donate your used cell phones to http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

  • 27 Posted by kevin_stotz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:50PM EDT Report Abuse

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  • 28 Posted by z_grants on Thu Sep 3, 2009 11:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    An organization called Freecycle, organized as individual Yahoo groups in thousands of communities, is for donating and receiving a free donation of all kinds of things we have and want anymore. Check out www.freecycle.org. It's reason for being is to keep perfectly good, but now not needed, stuff out of the trash system, landfill or incinerator. It works, too. People offer things, from baby items to beds to TVs, and ask for things and sometimes get them offered. Like all Yahoo groups, you need a Yahoo email (available free) to communicate, and want to change your message delivery to "Daily Digest".

  • 29 Posted by milehiker2002 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why give 'em to the post office? I sold a pda and my old cell phone to Cash4Cellular and got money for them.

  • 30 Posted by eham37 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    I love the idea but if i could get paid for. I have a lot of these tech. at home specially cellphones from 1999. If i don't get to sell them i am clear and sure that i'm going to donate them to Goodwill. yes and yes

  • 31 Posted by annewilliams5 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ok-so here's another way of doing something great with your old cell phones...There are soooo many people that need those cell phones by way of their local shelter. They are cleaned out of all personal information and then attached to the local 911 system. The phones are then given to those people who are in need of emergency assistance. These are abused women, kids, and elderly clients. Think about an alternative to always thinking about ourselves and do something for someone in need. Just a thought. Now that's refreshing!!! If you need an online referral look up your local Center For the Prevention of Abuse.

  • 32 Posted by chadr90s on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:21PM EDT Report Abuse

    As reported on Frontline and other reports most "recycled" consumer electronics from the United States and other countries end up in India where men, women and children dismantle the units to reclaim precious metals inside. The unfortunate problem is: - There is absolutely no safety concerns what so ever. As components circuit boards are melted down with torches, waste such as PCP and Lead drain right into the ground and subsequently the water table. Causing cancerous, harmful pollution. -Workers are contaminated by the toxic substances while toiling for a pittance 14 hours a day. Typically, right in the middle of some dump ground without any protective clothing, including shoes. But who cares, right? So long as the western consumer feels so good about "doing the right thing" when they have no idea what kind of impact to other societies and our global environment is occurring.

  • 33 Posted by h_jmcmahon on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    I like it. I have several phones that someone could use. This will be great! Jane J. Campbell

  • 34 Posted by pat_nicklas on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    Screw that. All these "gadget recycling" deals are just a scam for someone to get rich. Notice they don't offer to recycle any junk (like 20" CRTs or dead dot-matrix printers), just stuff they can resell and make money on. If they were doing this to save the environment, they would take anything that will result in pollution. Hey everyone! I'm starting a scrap metal recycling program to save the environment! I only accept pure gold or silver. Sorry, but I don't accept cheap metals like lead or mercury because only gold and silver cause pollution. Did I mention it's to save the ENVIRONMENT!!!

  • 35 Posted by rahmeenf on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    To the author: Second Rotation is ripping you off then. 1st Gen ipods definitely still have value. Take a look around at some other sites. checkout what www.flipswap.com offers for it.

  • 36 Posted by angelcrafter03 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    Donate your used cell phones and inkjet cartridges to The Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation: www.orlions.org to help pay for sight and hearing assistance for individuals without insurance who could otherwise not afford sight and hearing exams, eyeglasses, hearing aids and surgeries. No Epson or toner cartridges, only inkjet cartridges with a print head please! We also accept used eyeglasses and used hearing aids and will be happy to send a letter of receipt for your taxes. The used eyeglasses support vocational program at a woman's prison and are then taken to third world countries for distribution, and the hearing aids are refurbished, get a warranty and given to individuals in Oregon who can't afford hearing aids. Thanks!!

  • 37 Posted by callmecath7 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    Your iPod is only valued at O for resale. GIVE it away on Freecycle.org. Someone will be happy to have one!

  • 38 Posted by g_kang on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    a excellent idea. it is said numerous outdated gadget are just dumped as trashes everyday. if these stuffs are not recycled but just buried in landfills, they would not decompose until thounds of years later. and because new and higher quality gadgets keep emerging in the markets, we are abadoning more obsolete electrical stuffs every year. on the other hand, these "trashes" can be recycled more or less because they contain some useful plastic or electric mateerials. so it is a good method to reduce waste. we must keep it in mind that we only have one world and we have the duty to protect it, giving our descedents a sustainable world.

  • 39 Posted by justachilling2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    Ive heard of a program that takes old cell phones and refurbishes them and puts minutes on it for our troops to call home

  • 40 Posted by lisa0212 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    If you live in the Chicagoland area how about donating our old phones and used ink cartridges to Chicagoland Dog Rescue at www.chicagolanddogrescue.org and help save a doggie!

  • 41 Posted by txn_hrt on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is awesome. I've actually kept old cell phones because I didn't want them in our local landfill. It would be great to get them out of the house, and still not have them end up in one. KUDOS to Clover and the USPS for this idea and partnership. I sure hope the pilot is a success... can't wait to see it come to Texas!

  • 42 Posted by jmwitcher on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    I ain't got no money to buy old stuff with. Send your old stuff to me, I can maybe make it work.

  • 45 Posted by lonray7 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    I sold my old cell phones to ibuyphones.com they will actually pay you for your used cell phones.

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