The Red Microwave.com

Recycling Your Used Microwave Oven

These days, everything that you hear about, everything that you buy, everything that you sell, and everything that you could possibly ever need or want has to have some considerations for how it affects the environment. It is important to consider the implications of a product, not only at the point of its manufacture but when it gets to the point that it is no longer effective.

Microwave ovens are not a lifetime purchase unless you only use them once a week or less, so you have to know what to do with a dead microwave, safely and legally.

Environmental Concerns
You can’t just dump your old stuff wherever you want to. Not only do you need to find the right place to get rid of your household items, you also need to make sure that you are not harming the environment by disposing of them in the first place. When you are ready to get rid of a microwave there are several things to keep in mind, including how it will impact the environment.

Old But Not Dead Microwaves
If your microwave is not quite filling the bill for you and your family any longer or you have been given a newer model you have to consider the old microwave. If it is still in fairly good condition you can either give it to a friend or family member, donate it to a church or social service organization, or even put a sign on it and put it in the front yard.

In addition to donating an old but still working microwave, you could do the same with one that is technically dead. Some repair centers will accept these old microwave ovens, fix them up and then sell them to others while some technical schools will use them to train their students to do the repairs themselves.

Salvage and Then Recycle
Some people will take your old microwave ovens, remove the usable parts and then recycle the rest. There are some trash companies that will not take microwave ovens during regular trash pickup, so always check with your trash hauler first. If they will not take the microwave, then ask if they know of any agencies that will.

Research on the Web
If you are not able to find a place to safely recycle your microwave oven locally, it might be time to start searching on the internet for agencies that will help you. There are many ways to research the right way to do it including using these keywords in your favorite browser’s search window:

• Recycle microwave oven
• Green recycling for microwave ovens
• Safe recycling for microwave ovens

If you have to go with an out-of-town handler for the microwave oven, make sure that you understand the shipping and handling costs included for doing so. You should also look at the restrictions for shipping this or any other potentially harmful item, and make sure that you pad it correctly even if it is dead before you ship it.