What Really Happens When You Recycle Your Gadgets?

By Author: John Bregar
Total Articles: 27
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We all know what happens, you buy the latestgadget from the biggest brand with all new exclusive features, but it’s only a matter of months, if not weeks before a new one comes out that trumps it. So what do you do? We all want money for our old gadgets, but because they’re no longer the highest specification handset we wonder who on earth would pay for it?

Then a few years ago a new market opened up which actively encouragedconsumers to recycle their old phones and not only that, but these companies offered you cash for your old mobiles which they could go on to recycle. Further from that, now there are companies in the market that will offer you cash for laptops, tablets and digital cameras along with a variety of other popular tech gadgets which they are willing to recycle.

But how can these companies offer you so much money and why do they want to recycle your old electronics?

There are many recyclable components of our handheld electronics which can be dismantled from your device and reused on another similar handset or ...
... technology. Features such as your devicesmemory, LCD screen or processor could be used in the renovation of similar gadgets or may even be compatible with newer models.Before these devices are reused they will be tested for functionality, cleared of all personal data and then reconfigured.

Only a small proportion of gadgets received are beyond repair, so the majority of handsets have fully functioning components which don’t have to be thrown away. In some cases if components such as the screen or keypad are broken, then they will be passed on to specialist repair centres to be fixed.

Even if these gadgets are beyond repair, they will always contain small quantities of metals, including platinum, gold, silver and copper which can end up being recycled and reused for things such as jewellery.The plastic covering from thesedevices can also be melted down and reused.

These electronics will also go through extensive testing to determine which components are fully operational and which ones need to be disregarded. Some handheld devices will have their IMEI numbers checked against the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) database to guarantee that the handset has not been lost or stolen.

Obviously the complexity and the amount of components found in your handset or gadget is what will determine the overall price recyclers are willing to pay. Parts such as your laptops processor or smartphones accelerometer justify the amount recyclers are willing to offer for consumer electronics.

On a final note it is important to note that recycling any of your old electronics is not only good for your bank balance, but it also helps to save our environment and reduce the waste produced via the mobile industry. There are plenty of recycling partners who are ready to offer you cash for laptops, tablets, digital cameras and mobile phones so make sure you look out and see how much you could earn for your old mobile phone.