With current environmental legislation preventing a lot of simple throwing away of old electronic components and equipment it can often be costly to dispose of, requiring licensed waste disposal contractors and so on.
However, if the components or equipment is still in a perfectly usable condition - for example an old slow laptop/pc/monitor - or perhaps you have found some non ROSH components at the back of the stores. There are still people that will reuse these without costing you a penny.
How?
Simple - just give them away.
For example, your local schools might welcome components for their electronic teaching (even yourself to visit and give a talk) or perhaps you can give them away on your local Freegle group.
Freegle has over 300 Yahoo groups in the UK who's focus is on saving good stuff from landfill and getting it reused or recycled by it being given away freely in the local community.
So for instance, you have a good working 17" CRT monitor that has been replaced because you want the benefits of lower running costs of a TFT. You join your local Freegle group and offer it, someone who is in need of a monitor will respond and you make arrangements for them to come round and collect it.(many groups now use Facebook too).
Job done and you have no disposal problem, they have a monitor they can continue to use.
The same can be said for components, there are students and enthusiasts that would welcome some components, especially SMT ones.
Even your old shelving, desks, phones, chairs - anything will be welcome if its given away for free.
This has worked exceedingly well for years with household stuff, it can work just as well in the commercial sector and Freegle are keen to encourage businesses to participate.
Go on try it, who knows you might even start using Freegle at home yourself.
If you have any problems, you can simply ask info@iLoveFreegle.org and they will point you in the right direction (Or post a comment and I can help).
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