Depending on where you live, it's not permitted to discard most electronic items, such as laptops, with other household garbage. Not only does electronic waste contain toxic components that can harm the environment, but the glass parts can take 1 to 2 million years to decompose, while aluminum breaks down over 200 to 500 years. Laptop recycling is preferred because it prevents landfills from getting even fuller by ensuring old items are put to good use. Here are a few things to keep in mind before you recycle your laptop or computer.

Do:

Back up your files. 

There's probably a lot of information on your laptop that you can't bear to lose. Whether this includes pictures, music, or work assignments, make sure they've been properly backed up before moving on to other recycling steps. If you have cloud storage, verify that the most recent versions of files and documents are present and accounted for. If you use an external storage drive, manually move items over so you can hook up the device and access everything from your new laptop. 

Recycle peripherals and accessories. 

A recycling center can also help you get rid of other items, including keyboards, smartphones, processors, external hard drives, computers, monitors, flat-screen TVs, and many other types of electronics. When preparing for laptop recycling, assess your other items to determine whether they're ready to be discarded.

Don't:

Neglect to wipe the hard drive. 

Many people use their laptops for banking, shopping, communication, and other tasks. If you do this, your hard drive is brimming with personal information that you likely don't want floating around. Fortunately, there are a few ways to clear this history before disposing of your device. 

If you're a Windows® user, you can access PC reset from the Recovery menu. Owners of Apple® devices can implement a factory reset by pressing Shift + Option + Command + R during startup to reinstall the original operating system. From there, you can follow the prompts to erase the hard disk. 

Assume a recycler will take your items.

If you're unsure whether a facility will take your laptop, check their website for a list of acceptable items. If you don't see the electronic device you want to recycle, contact the company directly to inquire if they will take it. This will spare you the unnecessary trip in case the items can't be recycled.

When you need to dispose of your old belongings, turn to Denver Metal Recycling. This facility accepts a wide variety of items, including electronics, auto batteries, copper, and steel. Along with their dedication to preserving the environment, they also believe in being transparent with customers when it comes to rates. If you have questions about laptop recycling or whether an item is acceptable, please call (303) 316-2880 for more information.