Recycle Mouse: How to do it?
E-waste or electronic waste is rapidly increasing, and it is just getting worse with each passing day. As only 20 percent of the entire global e-waste is recycled, to recycle the rest 80 percent of companies have designed waste disposal techniques and tools that improve production efficiency.
Today, people have understood the importance of reducing environmental waste. Recycling electronic devices have helped conserve resources and energy, and it has created new job opportunities and built a community.
Never throw away your mouse. Always try to dispose of it in a better way or recycle it. You can recycle a computer mouse by taking it to a local recycling center. You can return it to the manufacturer and let him take care of the mouse or find online recycling services and courier it to them.
Can We Recycle a Computer Mouse?
It is possible to recycle a computer mouse. There are massive benefits of recycling a computer mouse, and recycling ensures non-renewable things are used and reused sensibly.
Old mice must be recycled. Recycling an old mouse can help reuse materials.
Every electronic device stops working at some point or the other, and you usually end up throwing these devices, which contribute to electronic waste.
According to the EPA, almost 75 percent of the waste found in landfills is electronic waste. Hence, you must toss the waste mindfully.
You can always recycle electronic waste and a computer mouse in several ways.
Should We Recycle a Computer Mouse?
You must recycle a computer mouse because recycling a mouse is always better than going ahead and getting it repaired a thousand times.
Repairing parts like the mouse and other computer parts make a hole in your pocket. Usually, the cost of repairing is usually more than getting a new one.
Reselling and recycling a mouse and other computer accessories is safe, secure, and cheap at the same time. This is the biggest reason why reselling a mouse is given the highest preference.
Few recyclers also work on a contractual basis with I.T. companies and recycle mice and keyboards in bulk. This way, it is cost-effective and eco-friendly.
How to Recycle a Computer Mouse?
There are various ways in which you can recycle a mouse. Today we have local recycling centers, manufacturers, online recycling centers, and other ways to use your mouse in a much more creative way.
Apart from these, if any of your friends or neighbor is in dire need of a mouse, you can go ahead and lend him/her one. You can also get your mouse repaired (if possible) and give it to your loved ones.
It also highly depends on what you are recycling and what’s the amount to be recycled. You must always first wipe off the data from the hard drive of every computer part before disposal. This way, you will erase all your sensitive information, and it will not be misused any further.
Let’s discuss each one in detail and how you can go through each:
1. Take it to the local recycling center
This is the easiest way to recycle your old or damaged mouse. Contact or visit a nearby e-waste accepting recycling center and drop your mouse. Many local sellers and retailers also accept old electronic gadgets. You can also exchange your old e-accessories with new ones at half the price at a retail or wholesale shop.
2. Sell your old mouse & computer accessories for cash
Google is the key to searching all the online stores that are accepting old mice and other computer accessories. Search on websites like Amazon, eBay, Best Buy. Carefully read the guidelines on these websites before going ahead with registering your product details for sale.
If you want to dispose of or recycle electronic equipment in bulk, contact a green recycling center in your area or city and get the recycling done.
3. Take it to the manufacturer
Responsibly recycling a computer mouse is very important as electronic gadgets have hazardous metals such as lead and cadmium. This is when recycling helps dispose of a mouse in a way that is safe for humans and the environment.
Search for manufacturers near you who run recycling programs and are knowledgeable in the disposal of a computer mouse. They know multiple safe ways of getting a mouse disposed of safely without any downsides on the environment.
4. Find online recycling services
There are multiple recycling centers online that you can search for and access to hand over your old electronic gadgets for recycling. Here are a few recycling centers that you can reach out to:
Green E-waste Recycling Center has drop-off and pick-up services as well for electronic waste disposal. It is located in Milpitas for businesses and residential localities in California. They offer pick-up services that are absolutely free for schools, NPOs, and businesses in Silicon Valley and the Great Bay Area.
The EPA’s electronic donation and recycling program in the United States is a great way to ensure that all the e-waste is donated and recycled safely.
Upcycle is another reliable e-waste disposal service in the United States, and it is a full-service electronic recycling & E-waste disposal company. They ensure that the e-waste is managed sustainably and effectively.
You can visit these websites and contact them directly to drop off the e-waste or get a free waste pick-up service.
5. Donation
Helping the needy is the kindest deed you can do in your entire lifetime. Donating someone a mouse or any other electronic device can be very helpful to the other person.
Considering the price hike of electronic gadgets in 2022, many people cannot buy and own one. In such cases donating your old mouse to the needy can be a great step.
You can donate to your nearby charity house or organization and bring a bright smile to the beautiful faces. You can also join as a member or contributor of NGOs and non-profit organizations and keep donating different equipment and items.
6. Reuse your computer mouse creatively
We all have that urge to use things in a much more creative way.
For example: reusing the left-out colorful papers and colors to make a beautiful hanging piece.
Similarly, there are many creative ideas that you can use to recycle and reuse your computer mouse. Let’s discuss a few of the mind-blowing ones now.
A. Using old mouse for art and craft
You can use an old mouse for art and craft. The best way is to make a Christmas tree ornament. You can use the mouse and wrap it up with red and bright fabrics and make a Christmas ornament out of it. A wired mouse can be used to hang the mouse on the Christmas tree as a pretty decoration piece.
B. Turn it into a toothbrush/soap/stationery holder
The design of a mouse and soap is the same, and they both help to have a good grip. Discard the inner electronic fittings of the mouse, and the hollow can now be used as a soap holder.
Apart from this, you can also use it as a toothbrush holder and stick it to the wall of your washroom with the help of a hook.
You can also use it to store small stationery items such as erasers, sharpeners, and so on.
C. Transform it to a toy and craft supplies.
Similar to DIY art and craft, a mouse can also be used to make beautiful art supplies. You can create it in your free time to kill some time and also indulge in this hobby.
You can use some paints, mix and match them and create a craft out of it. You can find craft kits available on websites like Amazon and let your creativity shine.
D. Designing a coin detector
Here is a journal paper that explains how you can combine an optical mouse sensor and a programmed microprocessor to create a budget-friendly fake coin detector. This is an experiment done on Euro coins, but you can use it on any electronic device such as a mouse to make a good detector or sensor.
7. Staples to recycle your old mouse
Outdated technology doesn’t have to end up in a landfill. So when it’s time to upgrade your laptops and printers or replace your ink and toner, count on Staples to recycle it responsibly.
There is a limitation of 7 items only for one customer per day. Few stores might accept items in bulk on a case-by-case basis.
Almost every Staple store accepts electronic waste for recycling every single day for free, except the ones in New York and Washington, D.C. Find a store near you here.
Staples collect materials from its customers and keep them in an employee area until a good amount of material is collected. They then collect it and assemble it all in their warehouse. The warehouse collects a truckload full of electronics and moves them to their national recycling partner. The items and their parts are then removed and segregated based on recyclable and reusable parts and then processed separately.
Once the materials enter the reusable market, the information in the phones, computers and other electronic devices are wiped off to protect the privacy and sensitive information. Older items are processed and run through shredders to separate the metal, plastic, and glass and are sent to different recycling centers.
You can visit Staples website to know more.
8. Resell your extra active mouse
You can also consider reselling your extra mouse if it is in an active state. Reselling value may be less, but it will be totally worth it to resell it rather than throwing it away and adding toxic waste to the environment.
Logitech’s mission of recycling electronics
Logitech is on a mission to recycle electronics and create a sustainable planet for the coming generations. The company is currently focusing on reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere, and the company has started carbon labeling.
Carbon labeling is an initiative by Logitech, and now its competitors are also following the same. The only intention of this initiative was to understand the effects of carbon and stop the side effects of the compound from affecting the earth.
Logitech is busy “designing for sustainability.” Logitech has also become aware of how they package their products, what materials and fiber are used to do the same, and how all this can be achieved by spending less money.
Let’s all be a part of this revolution and give in our efforts to create a sustainable planet.
Conclusion
Although there is not much information about the long-term effects of e-waste, it does have some the other negative effect on the earth, air, and the entire environment. If we want a healthy planet for our coming generations, e-waste disposal in a mindful manner is very important in the 21st century.
There are many e-waste recycling centers that you can find online and offline in the U.S. You will find everything from waste drop-off to pick-up services in most parts of the states. Today, technicians introduce many new advanced technologies that do a tremendous job of recycling e-waste responsibly, and these practices will undoubtedly make the planet a better place to live.
