Where to throw computers, telephones, TVs and technological waste

If our computer, our smartphone or any other electronic device breaks down and is no longer repairable we have to dispose of itsince it is not possible to simply throw it in the garbage bag or in the differentiated waste.

Inside the circuits there are also substances that are dangerous and harmful to the environment and to healththerefore it is necessary to arrange for disposal according to the laws in force in your municipality or, in a general way, following the suggestions we have collected, so as to keep the environment clean and avoid polluting.

In the following guide we will show you where to throw away technological wasteso as to know exactly where to take any waste we may generate when we disassemble an old PC, when we throw away old components or when we need to throw away an old smartphone or tablet with a destroyed or non-functioning screen (it no longer turns on or gives no more signs of life).

READ ALSO -> Dispose of lithium batteries from smartphones and laptops

1) Where to throw batteries and dead cells

Among the most important technological waste we certainly find batteries and used batterieslow charge or damaged, which we can easily dispose of in any shopping center, in a supermarket or on the street in the appropriate containers (where we usually find the battery symbol on display).

In these containers we can insert normal alkaline batteries, rechargeable batteries and smartphone batteries (at least for models that require battery removal). If we need to dispose of a notebook battery, we can use the same containers or, if the battery is too large, we can take it to the local disposal center, so that it can be handed over to the employee for proper disposal.

We remind you that batteries contain dangerous chemical substances and can even explode: it is better to get rid of spent batteries or batteries that do not work as expected immediately.

2) Where to throw desktop and laptop computers

Our desktop computer or notebook no longer works or does not turn on? In this case we recommend that you immediately remove the hard drive or internal SSD (even if it does not appear to work) and dispose of the computer at the local disposal center or in a WEEE centergiven that its various components are not always separable and require specific storage.

If we choose collection via WEEE, it is also possible to plan collection at home, so you can properly dispose of your old CRT monitors or old cases without ever having to leave your home. If the computer is old but still functional we can always reuse it, as seen in our guide 7 alternative ways to use your old computer.

If we have a hard drive not working or with damaged sectors (therefore unusable) it is always advisable to proceed with the total deletion before disposing of it, so as to prevent anyone from recovering our personal data; to completely erase data from a disk, we refer you to reading our guide Securely and permanently erase files and delete them from disk forever.

3) Where to throw accessories (cables, USB chargers, mice, etc.)

If we need to dispose of smartphone and computer accessories such as charging cables, USB cables, USB chargers, mice, keyboards and other accessories, it is preferable to take them all together at the collection center or the ecological island in your municipality.

In the chosen ecological island we will find a section or a bin reserved for computer materials and/or to the cable store, where we can throw away unused or broken cables. Alternatively, we can also take them to a computer shop or shopping centre: when we buy a new electronic device, it is possible to recycle the old devices (working or not) by following the WEEE directives set by the shop.

4) Where to throw smartphones and tablets

Did we break a phone or tablet? Is your portable device’s battery dead or does the screen no longer turn on? In this case we recommend that you take your broken smartphone or tablet to the nearest computer store or go to a large electronics chain (such as Unieuro, Euronics, MediaWorld or similar): when purchasing a new smartphone or tablet, we will be able to deliver the old device free of charge, which will be recycled in accordance with WEEE regulations.

If we have a iPhone or an iPad to recycle, we can go to an Apple Store to see if it still has a trade-in value: if the device has a residual value, we will be given an Apple Card Store to buy anything (even a new phone or tablet); if, on the other hand, the Apple device has no value, the Apple Store will take care of disposing of it at no cost.

The smartphone turns on but the screen is unusable? Is your phone too old for recent apps or does the battery drain quickly? Before throwing it away, we advise you to read our guides 15 Different Ways to Use Your Old Android Phone e Android with broken screen, how to use it or recover data.

5) Where to throw ink or toner cartridges

The printer cartridges should not be thrown away in the undifferentiated waste, in plastic or in any other household bin but they must be taken to the ecological island of their municipality of residencewhere they can be safely disposed of. We remind you that toners can be toxicso they should be disposed of with caution.

Some sellers of compatible cartridges they also provide one small pre-stamped return envelopeat no additional cost, the used cartridges to the headquarters of the company that takes care of recycling the old cartridges, so as to avoid polluting and supply new cartridges to be regenerated.

6) Where to throw the old TV

Old televisions (LCD, plasma or cathode ray tube) can be delivered to recycling centers or to collection centers equipped for the collection of WEEEoften present in shopping centers or in areas with a high population density.

If the TV has an HDMI port we can avoid throwing it away, even if it no longer works with digital terrestrial channels: in fact, it will be enough to connect a Fire TV Stick o one Google Chromecast to benefit from all the Smart features seen on new TVs.

In this regard we can read our ai guides best smart set top boxes for old tv and you have best HDMI adapters to connect older TVs.

Conclusions

As we have seen there is no need to throw technological and computer waste in the simple trash or in the undifferentiated dry bag! We can dispose of and recycle a large part of the now old and worn-out material we have at home, just knowing how to proceed for each type of technological waste.

For further information, we can also read the alternative ways to use your old computer.