Got a nice truckload of E-scrap today - Page 2

Originally Posted by mikeinreco

Lol doesn't seem like a sustainable way to get rid of them

I am certain it is NOT sustainable, bestbuy charges $25/monitor to take them... I do not know how staples can take them for free. But I suspect it will not last much longer. But while I can, Im going unload what I got/get!

Originally Posted by kss

I guess technically, yea, it doesnt say on their website they have to be complete..... but at least for my first load to them, I will take 7 (or maybe just 1) complete to feel it out. If the guy is like "yea just throw them in the giant e-waste dumpster out back", then yea I can probably bring whatever quantity in whatever state of disrepair... if he looks at everything and is skeptical if he can even take them, then I would probably have less luck bringing them torn apart. But I will probably go soon and report back how it went. I'll also have the website up on the phone in-case the manager goes "we dont take those".

Yeah, It is a very weird thing to deal with. Depends on each store on if they want phone number for rewards of just want them dropped.

Originally Posted by kss

no one around me will take them off the curb. I know that for a fact. I also see, literally hundreds, being offered for free in my local area on letgo/craigslist. No one want them except landfills (for money usually), or subsidized landfills (like the one by me you need to be a resident of the local county, and show id and are only allowed 3, and they must be in one peice... this is subsidized by local taxes I am assuiming, hence the id/residency checking) OR places required by law (in PA) to accept them because they sell similar items (bestbuy, staples, etc).

KSS, in eastern PA, a large medical supplier does a large electronics drive for its employees (which includes anyone that gives them items). Thats where my CRT TV's will go. I also give staples most of my printers, unless they are old and heavy and can have most of the plastic removed to qualify as shred/light iron.

Originally Posted by kss

I did see that, however even further down on the page in the FAQs it does say

"Store management has the right to refuse to accept items that may pose a health or safety risk (e.g., broken monitors not packed in a box, laptops with damaged batteries, etc.). If you are unsure whether an item is acceptable, please contact your local Staples with questions."


So going off that, it seems they SHOULD take even broken/gutted monitors (provided they are packed in a box? lol)

My guess is it is highly dependent on each individual store what they will/want to take. And even within the same store it could change day to day based on whos working, how much room they have, how busy they are, etc, etc. I'll just have to go and find out in person at my local one(s)! I am pretty hopeful that they will take them. First reason being, they have a contract with an E-waste processor, so it doesnt really make a difference to them (as a company) they just pass it along down the line, and second reason being that they get graded on how much "waste/scrap" they take back and "keep out of landfills" (in a ratio to what they sell). So they may WANT more bulk/monitors/heavy stuff to pad their numbers. For example, bestbuy advertises that they took back "over 2 billion pounds of electronics waste last year", staples/best-buy/etc may want to take back a bunch to make them seem as "environmentally friendly" as possible.

We will find out soon when I take them!

Different managers try to impose their own policy, but showing them the paper right off of their website usually seals the deal and their attitude changes.

I have not taken in any broken ones yet except for maybe a speaker grille missing off of the front and nothing has been said.

I loaded 7 in the bed of my truck every night for a week when I had a lot of them to get rid of. Same store each day after work.

I also have tried multiple stores and only stopped if the rewards number was taken.

You should have no problems.

Originally Posted by rc1530

I loaded 7 in the bed of my truck every night for a week when I had a lot of them to get rid of. Same store each day after work.

I also have tried multiple stores and only stopped if the rewards number was taken.

You should have no problems.

Yea didnt have any issues, am going to take another 7 this weekend. My work has an electronics drive every quarter I think, but they stoppped taking tvs/monitors for free (charge a fee). So its staples for now until they quit taking them

I've mostly retired from scrapping out CRTs, although somehow I have 3 small old TVs with the fake wood look out in my garage right now, I thought maybe someone would like them as a decoration in a "retro room" that celebrated the 1970s (gasp!!). I got called out by one of the guys down at the free drop off place a few years back for bringing in too many monitors-- they track you by your DL and I think the yearly limit was 5. I used to do the re-put them together after scrapping them out. Less hassle now not doing them. Really don't see that many CRTs around anymore, I think the crest of the wave of getting rid of them passed here a few years back. Flat screens I still do because almost everything left over after scrapping can be put into trash fairly easily, sometimes I cut the back plastic housing in half or thirds to get them into trash bags. Keep on keeping on!!