Got tech junk? Here's how to recycle or sell it on Earth Day
On Friday, April 22, UBreakiFix is encouraging folks to recycle old tech for Earth Day. That means it’s a fine time to clear out any old electronics that you can’t easily sell for cash.
UBreakiFix’s eligible device list includes DVD players, cables, keyboards, mouses, and printers, most of which will have little to no value on tech buyback sites. You can find nearby UBreakiFix stores by scrolling down to the “Find your store” section on this page.
For phones, tablets, wearables, and other high-value gadgets, I suggest trying to sell them instead. Flipsy and SellCell are great resources for comparing prices at various tech buyback sites. You can also check out the new buyback program at Back Market, or use Phoneswap to trade up between used iPhones. And then there’s decluttr, a tech buy-back site that’s partnering with PCWorld to give customers an extra 10 percent for their cash trade-ins.
With these buyback sites, you’ll get a prepaid shipping label for easily shipping off used gear, and will receive money in return (typically via PayPal or equivalent services). For folks who are willing to put in more legwork, there’s always Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, or Swappa, where you can list your own devices and sell them directly to other people.
If you don’t have a UBreakiFix nearby, fret not. Best Buy stores will let you recycle up to three items per day at any time of the year, so you can avoid sending them to the landfill. You can even get 15% off a new router by bringing in your old one.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said that UBreakiFix’s recycling offer was limited to Earth Day. It’s available year-round.
This story first appeared in Jared’s Advisorator newsletter. Sign up to get tech advice like this every week.
Author: Jared Newman
Jared Newman has been helping folks make sense of technology for over a decade, writing for PCWorld, TechHive, and elsewhere. He also publishes two newsletters, Advisorator for straightforward tech advice and Cord Cutter Weekly for saving money on TV service.
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