Recycling in YOUR Community

Most people are familiar with recycling paper, cardboard and soda bottles, but what about those other things like old computers (my old one certainly needed to go somewhere else!), TVs, cell phone and… sneakers (?!)

Well, there are resources for those too:

Find out about recycling in your community:

• MassRecycle - a statewide coalition of individuals, governments, businesses, institutions and non-profit organizations who strives to inform, educate, and advocate about recycling in Massachusetts.
• Mass Department of Environmental Protection – Waste and Recycling page has links to recycling in all the communities of Massachusetts.

Batteries

• Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation - #1 non-profit of its kind, with a list of drop-off points across the country
• Other Batteries – drop off locations around Massachusetts

Sneakers

• Nike Reuse-a -shoe – turn your old athletic shoes into playgrounds for kids.

Everything that can be re-used

• Freecycle Network – Freecyclers in 3,259 communities “gifted” more than 100 million pounds of stuff in 2005.

Internet-based re-use

• Craigslist – every month, more than 10 million people use these free local forums to exchange stuff, find jobs and advertise goods and services.
• ThrowPlace – the Internet’s landfill alternative, encouraging users to “take what you need, and throw what you don’t.”

Start your own

• Reuse Development Organization – resources to help local communities start up new reuse centers and programs.

Electronics

• CRT Recycling Inc – free computer recycling – located in Brockton, MA, but will pick up.
• For more resources, check out the document: Recycling Electronics

Cell Phones

• Earthwatch Institute collects old cell phones and ink jet cartridges for recycling and to raise funds for our programs - if you would like to collect used cell phones/printer cartridges to raise money for Earthwatch (up to a couple dollars per item is returned to Earthwatch) please contact Tina Woolson, Sustainability Manager at Earthwatch at twoolston@earthwatch.org.
• Motorola (accepts all brands for free)
• Nokia (accepts all brands for free)
• Call to Recycle (find out where to recycle phones in your community)
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (donation of cell phones)
• Call to Protect (donation of cell phones)
• Verizon Wireless (accepts phones at Verizon stores)
• AT&T Wireless (accepts phones at AT&T stores)
• T-Mobile Wireless (accepts phones in stores and by mail)
• Sprint Wireless (accepts phones in stores and by mail; recycling proceeds go to charity)

Content updated by Tina Woolston
twoolston@earthwatch.org
Earthwatch Institute

Photograph © Diane Troppoli