Electronics make for lousy trash. An average desktop computer holds 14 pounds of plastic, 4 pounds of lead, 8 pounds of aluminum and smaller amounts of arsenic, mercury and beryllium (a hard, grayish metal naturally found in mineral rocks, coal, soil, and volcanic dust). Approximately 55 million computers will be retired this year alone, making up the majority of the 3 million tons of e-waste that annually ends up in landfills.

But computers aren’t the only gadgets piling up. With cellular companies constantly adding new features, 130 million mobile phones are discarded in the United States each year. With more television watchers switching to flat screens, millions of TVs are headed for the scrap pile as well. That adds up to an enormous heap of toxic e-waste, which the Environmental Protection Agency says now accounts for as much as 40 percent of the lead in US landfills.

Yet, of all the trash Americans churn out, electronics are the least likely to be recycled. People simply don’t know where to take their old computers, cell phones or TVs. In fact, 56 percent of American households have this stuff lying around, according to an eBay survey. Eventually, many electronics land at the local dump, where the toxic materials inside leak out. And, with an escalating mountain of e-waste threatening to overwhelm America’s trash heaps, regulators and manufacturers are struggling to find solutions to the nation’s newest environmental dilemma.

The ultimate goal: to make recycling computers as easy as dragging them to the curb. But for now, it’s not that hard to keep your mercury-leaking electronic gadgets out of the landfill. Here’s how.

Sell your stuff

Get a little dough for your doodads by offering them on popular auction websites such as eBay.com and half.com. Search for other websites or bulletin boards that cater to parts-hunters (craigslist.com posts listings for more than 100 cities nationwide). If you don’t want the hassle of advertising your wares, take your gadgets to a middleman such as AuctionDrop.com, which allows you to drop off items at any UPS outlet. AuctionDrop will then sell your things on eBay for a small fee.

Return recyclables

Many retailers offer electronics recycling drives frequently or year-round. Best Buy announces its seasonal drives on the Community Relations section of its website. All Staples stores will take back most electronics. Ask retailers if they offer lease or take-back options for the electronics they sell. For instance, many cellular companies will take back their phones—and sometimes throw in a discount toward a new one.

Mail items back to the manufacturer

Lots of electronics makers will take their old goods back. Many computer and cell phone companies have donation or take-back programs; check their websites first for more details, such as if they charge re-stocking fees. See “How to Contribute to the E-Cycle Circle” on page 44 for more information.

Donate treasures to the community

Schools, nonprofit organizations and low-income families can often use old computers, TVs, fax machines or other electronics in good working order. A number of nonprofit organizations pass computers and electronics along to people or groups in need. The National Cristina Foundation (cristina.org) directs donations to organizations that train people with disabilities and economic disadvantages. Fill out an online form, and it finds a local organization to pick up the tech donation from you.

Call your city to collect

Many cities pick up e-trash on special hazardous-waste collection days. Call your local sanitation department for dates; they will either pick up the items at your home or give you information about the nearest collection site.

Find a responsible recycler

Local electronics recyclers will take electronic hardware, usually for a small fee, but it’s important to give it to a reputable recycler; otherwise, hazardous materials may be “recycled” into roadbed filler. The nonprofit group Earth 911 posts lists of vetted recyclers nationwide on its website (earth911.org). Enter your ZIP code to find the nearest electronics recycling location or event. Many recyclers are not set up to take a single computer at a time, so call ahead to ensure they can receive your equipment. If they can’t, ask them if they know of another responsible recycler who can.

How to Contribute to the E-Cycle Circle

If you’re considering upgrading your cell phone or computer, support companies that participate in the e-cycling circle—many do, including those listed here.

For more information, contact the company directly.

• Hewlett-Packard will recycle any HP inkjet or laser jet printer cartridges at no cost to the consumer. It recycles any brand of computer equipment for a fee of $13–34 per item and issues a rebate of up to $50 toward the purchase of new HP equipment. It also makes its scanners with a blend of new plastic and recycled soda bottles.

• Apple started its take-back service for customers in 2001 and has recycled over 90 percent of the electronic equipment collected. The $30 fee covers the cost of disassembling the used product, reusing and refurbishing any salvageable components, treating batteries and toner cartridges and turning the rest into secondary raw glass and metal materials to be used in everyday products.

• Gateway has both a trade-in and a recycling program for a wide variety of electronics—any brand. For trade-ins, you need to have made a recent purchase and must present proof of purchase. Gateway will pay back whatever the functioning product is worth plus the shipping fees. The recycling program charges a fee based on the weight of the product and guarantees it will be recycled in accordance with the best environmental practices.

• Dell recycles old computers for free when you purchase a new Dell system. If you donate your working computer to its charity—National Cristina Foundation, which provides PCs to disadvantaged Americans—Dell gives you 10 percent off your next purchase of software or online peripheral products. Dell also provides instructions for free and safe disposal of old ink and toner cartridges on its website and on all new replacement products.

• IBM provides buy-back and recycling programs for individuals and corporations. IBM will pay market value for working products of any brand and charges a recycling fee (based on weight) only for unusable products.

• Sony hosted 450 recycling events in 2004 and collected 3,617 tons of electronic waste. It accepts a variety of used products—from computer equipment and televisions to CDs and DVDs. Sony also uses recycled materials in the construction of some new products.

• Motorola started the Race to Recycle program as a fundraiser for schools. For every intact phone that students collect, Motorola donates $3 to their school, up to $21,000. Even if you are not a part of a school organization, a portion of the proceeds from your recycled cell phone is divided between participating schools. It also offers a prepaid postage label on its website that enables you to recycle an old cell phone from any manufacturer.

• Cingular accepts old cell phones at its retail stores. It also provides a postage-paid return envelope for old phones when new phones are sent to their customers. Old phones are tested and sorted; those that can’t be repaired are recycled for plastics and precious metals. Some working phones are donated to an organization for battered women’s shelters.

—Rianne Heffel