Let’s say you have this old computer monitor from the 1990s. It’s gotten yellow, and it’s so slow it’s practically useless and not compatible with any contemporary gadget. So, what do you do with it? The same goes for your old refrigerators, laptops, washing machines, televisions and more.

Of course, your first reaction may be to dump it somewhere, even in the trash bin for smaller objects. However, there are several ways you can dispose of your old electronics correctly. If you’re wondering whether there are safe ways to either dispose or recycle your old electronics, here are some ideas for you:

Recycle Them

Wherever you live, there’s definitely a recycling factory somewhere. Most of these centres in Malaysia are rather low profile and they don’t have social media pages or websites. However, a drive around will definitely reveal them, and they are identifiable by the piles of cans or newspapers.

When you drop off your electronics, usually you’ll be compensated monetarily, although the amount may be minimal. Here is a list of recycling centres for those who live in and around the Klang Valley.

Donate Them to a Charity

If your electronics can still work and you’re looking to get rid of it because you want to upgrade, then why not consider donating it to a charity. Charity donation boxes are available all over the place, and some of them will even arrange for a pickup of bulkier electronics.

However, you have to be careful not to donate junk, meaning electronics that are spoiled beyond repair. Keep in mind that it is very cruel to treat charities and NGOs as convenient dumping grounds.

Sell Them Off

Again, if your electronics are still working, you can always sell it online for a dirt cheap price. You never know who you will be helping, including struggling students or minimum wage earners.

Many of these people are just glad for a working item and won’t care if it’s outdated. Make sure that you advertise honestly and if there’s any damage of minor faults, you should mention them.

Refurbish and Repurpose Them

Just because your devices may not be usable for the same tasks due to their obsolescence, doesn’t mean they still can’t be useful. What you can do is send your device to the many gadget-refurbishing services in any mall to get them to working order.

Once that’s done, you can use them as function-specific devices. An old tablet can be used as just a fancy digital alarm clock or Netflix-only device. An old smartphone can be a games-only device for your little nephew, or just a fancier iPod. Just because they can’t do everything anymore doesn’t mean they can’t still do one or two things really well.

Upcycle Them

If your old electronics are fried or absolutely destroyed internally, there can still be some use in their physical hardware. You’ll be surprised that a little creativity can go a long way, and your old electronics can be turned into something completely different.

For example, old CPU casings can be used as flower pots to grow plants, and if you remove the tube from an old monitor, it’ll make a swell sleeping place for your pet. For more ideas on how to repurpose you old PC parts, visit this link.

No matter how small you think your part is in recycling old electronics, you can take heart in the fact that you’re reducing waste helping the environment. If you yourself are looking for affordable gadgets to buy, check out our list of discounts on gadgets to get yourself the best deals out there.

Image credits: MakeUseOf

 

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