E-Waste Recycling Partnerships Proliferate

July 23, 2009

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While electronics waste or e-waste recycling partnerships are providing significant environmental benefits by keeping waste out of landfills, they are also giving manufacturers and retailers an environmental marketing edge by providing their customers with a needed service, together with financial incentives, whether its through gift cards or charitable donations.

Here are a few of the most recent partnerships aimed at providing responsible recycling programs for consumers and businesses.

NextWorth, a leading player in consumer electronics trade-ins and incentive-based recycling programs, recently announced the launch of its trading platform for Target.com, which offers consumers the option of receiving a gift card in exchange for their Apple iPod and iPhones, cell phones, laptops, digital cameras, GPS systems, video games and video game consoles. Gift cards can be redeemed for merchandise or services at all Target stores or at Target.com.

Consumers find the value of their old electronics simply find the gadget at this site, where they answer a few questions and instantly see the offered buy price.

If users accept the value, a USPS Priority Mail shipping label is provided at checkout-time to allow the consumer to ship the products to NextWorth, free of charge. Once NextWorth receives the device and the condition is verified, a Target Gift Card will be mailed to the customer for the approved value. If any item has no residual value, it can still be mailed to NextWorth for free, who will then dispose of the item through one of their certified recycling partners.

A similar program was recently launched by Radio Shack. The trade-in program allows customers to recycle select used products in exchange for a Radio Shack gift card. Eligible products for trade-in at the store level include MP3 players, wireless phones, gaming systems and games, GPS receivers, digital cameras and digital camcorders. Acceptable items for RadioShack’s online trade-in program also include car audio head units, notebook computers, HDTVs and computer monitors.

Waste Management Recycle America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waste Management, has announced a partnership with portable power solution provider iGo to increase domestic electronics recycling and reduce landfill waste. Through this partnership, WM Recycle America will provide environmentally certified recycling services for iGo electronic waste.

Here’s how it works. Through the “iGo Recycles” consumer electronics and charger recycling program, iGo customers can mail back their used products, which WM Recycle America will process to recover valuable components for reuse.

WM Recycle America, an ISO Certified partner, recycles this material in conjunction with the Basel Action Network (BAN) Electronics Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship to process all hazardous materials domestically, to protect workers’ health and to track e-waste throughout the recycling chain.

WM Recycle America has partnered with a number of large consumer electronics brands to encourage consumer electronics recycling. Through these programs, Sony and LG customers can drop off all of their Sony, LG, Zenith or GoldStar e-waste for free at the more than 200 plus eCycling drop-off centers across the country.

Verizon Wireless’ ongoing HopeLine phone recycling and reuse program recently topped 6 million phones collected, which have been donated by consumers and corporations nationwide. These used devices were turned into nearly $7 million in cash grants to support domestic violence victims since October 2001 when Verizon Wireless launched its national recycling program.

Phones donated to HopeLine that can be refurbished are sold for reuse, and those that are not salvageable are recycled in an environmentally sound way under a zero landfill policy.

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