The EPA says much electronic equipment contains toxic materials such as mercury, lead and cadmium that environmentalists fear will end up in the groundwater when electronic equipment shifts to landfills.
Also, electronic equipment contains metals, glass and other valuable materials that can be recycled.
Some stores, such as Best Buy, hold recycling days throughout the year when people can drop off old electronics. The site www.earth911.org has information about recycling programs.
– – –
Finding a good charity
– Make sure the organization is registered as a 501 (c)(3) with the IRS (which means your donation will be tax deductible). Also, ask how much money the charity receives from the donation and how the money is spent.
– If you’re donating a car, ask how it will be handled when it leaves your possession, so you aren’t liable for it.
– For cell phone donations, find out how much money from the phones goes to charity. If the group can’t use the phone, make sure they dispose of it in an environmentally safe manner.
Better Business Bureau, The Wireless Foundation
