Electronic Recycling San Diego: Stop Saving Broken Cords

I am currently standing in a garage in Clairemont and I want to sneeze. It smells like dust, old cardboard, and that weird, sharp scent of melting plastic. The homeowner, let’s call him "Frank," is hoarding a printer from 2004. If you are frantically looking for electronic recycling san diego because your wife threatened to throw your "collection" in the street, you found the right guy.

Frank looked at me, clutching a beige tower. "I might fix it," he lied.

No, Frank. You won't.

It’s trash. It’s hazardous waste. But you can't just toss it in the bin. So it sits here. Rotting.

I see this every day. I go to fix a water heater and I have to climb over a mountain of dead VCRs. It drives me insane. You aren't frugal. You're lazy. And maybe scared.

So let’s fix it.

Why Electronic Recycling San Diego is a Nightmare

It’s the confusion. That’s what gets you.

You have a bin for paper. A bin for yard waste. But where does the toaster go?

Nowhere.

If you put that toaster in the blue bin, you are the problem. I saw a truck catch fire on the 805 once. Smoke everywhere. Why? Because some genius threw a lithium battery in the recycling. The compactor crushed it. Boom. Fire. The driver had to dump the whole flaming load on the freeway.

It ruined traffic for hours.

Don't be that guy. In California, e-waste is illegal to trash. The lead, the mercury? It leaks. It gets into the ground. Then it gets into the ocean. Then the fish eat it. Then you eat the fish.

Gross.

The "Data" Paranoia

"But my taxes are on there!" Frank yelled when I grabbed his laptop.

This is why you hoard. You think a hacker is going to crawl into the landfill, find your 2010 Dell, and steal your identity.

It’s not that deep.

But if you are sweating about it? Destroy it.

Get a drill. I love this part. Take the hard drive out. Put it on the concrete. Drill a hole through it. Crunch.

"There," I told Frank. "Now it’s dead."

If you don't have a drill, use a hammer. Smash it. Once the platters shatter, the data is dust. Gone. Now you can recycle the carcass without panic attacks.

Finding Electronic Recycling San Diego Spots That Aren't Scams

The Miramar Landfill.

I know. It smells terrible. The seagulls are the size of dogs. But the recycling center there is the real deal. You pull up. You show ID. You dump the junk.

It’s usually free for residents.

Avoid the "Free Pickup" flyers on telephone poles. Please.

Those guys are scrappers. They take your TV, drive it to a canyon in East County, rip out the copper wire, and dump the plastic shell in the bushes. I see it all the time. It makes my blood boil.

If you aren't using a certified recycler, you’re just helping someone litter.

The Drawer of Doom

We all have one.

You have a drawer full of cables. USB-mini. Nokia chargers. RCA plugs.

Why?

"Just in case."

In case of what? Time travel?

Recycle them. Best Buy has a bin in the entryway. Walk in. Dump the bag. Walk out. Don't make eye contact. You aren't buying anything. You are purging your soul.

Batteries are Bombs

Swollen batteries.

If your old phone looks puffy? Like a pillow?

That is a fire bomb.

Do not put it in your trunk and forget it. The heat will set it off. Take it to a Household Hazardous Waste facility. Make an appointment. It’s a pain. I hate appointments. But I hate house fires more.

I watched a garage burn down in Poway last year. Hoverboard battery. Poof. The smell of toxic smoke never leaves your nose.

My Final Plea

I dragged three bags of trash out of Frank’s house. He looked lighter.

"I didn't know I had that much," he said.

It’s always that much.

Stop buying junk. And when it breaks, get rid of it. Immediately.

Don't wait. Load the trunk. Go to the dump. Grab a taco on the way home. Just get your electronic recycling san diego errands done before you turn into Frank.

FAQ

Q: Can I curb my TV? A: No. The trash guys won't take it. They leave a sticker. It’s ugly.

Q: Does Best Buy take TVs? A: For a fee. Usually $30. They take small stuff for free.

Q: Do I need to wipe my phone? A: Yes. Factory reset. If it’s dead, smash it.

Q: What about lightbulbs? A: CFLs have mercury. Take them to Home Depot. Don't break them.

Q: Can I sell old stuff? A: If it’s ancient? No. Nobody wants an iPhone 4. Recycle it.