Apple Buys Back E-waste for Gift Cards

by 08/12/11 11 Comments

Apple already helps its customers get rid of their old Apple products responsibly through a free mail-back recycling program.

But now the tech giant is getting in on the game of reuse, with an added benefit for consumers, according to AppleInsider, a website covering Apple news and rumors.

Apple will now pay consumers with unwanted but usable iPhones, iPads and computers – both Mac and PC – the fair market value for their device, in Apple gift cards.

To calculate the electronic device’s value, consumers will need to answer several questions about its condition: Does the battery fully charge, or has the device ever been water damaged? The estimated value of a first generation iPad in very good condition is $165.

If the device qualifies for Apple’s reuse program, the consumer can mail in the product via pre-paid shipping to receive an Apple gift card that can be used at any U.S. Apple retail store or the U.S. Apple online store.

If the product cannot be reused and does not have any monetary value, it will be recycled for free.

While Apple recommends consumers perform a complete backup and erase all data before sending in their old electronic devices, Apple’s recycling contractor will also carry out a complete data wipe on the products.

READ: How to Get Paid For Your Old Gadgets

 

Alexis Petru

Alexis Petru

Staff Writer


  1. Jeff Mo

    posted on August 12th, 2011 at 3:11 pm

    I found a great place for apple gifts and other gifts online... a site for great gift ideas: GiftsForGuysAndGirls.com Great site!

  2. Don Biggs

    posted on August 12th, 2011 at 3:50 pm

    Alexis, Old Gadgets? Come on. If you go out to this sight nearly everything you type in comes back with ZERO value. Apple's program would go a lot farther just to emphasize the responsibility of e-waste recycling as opposed to trying to lull people in with the false promise of getting paid. Why would one ever recycling a first-gen iPad at this point anyway? Get real. Besides, there is generally one or two e-Steward recyclers in nearly every major market. So why ship it off to Apple when you can drop it off. Here's what's really going on. Twenty-six states have enacted legislation that forces manufacturers like Apple to recycle a percentage of their sales into each particular state by weight. So if Apple sells 100,000 pounds of new product into the state of NY, they are required by law to recycle 60% of that much, or 60,000 pounds of e-waste. The states are holding OEM's accountable for the products they sell into each market, because America's landfills have become overwhelmed by the poison leaching into the ground within this stuff. Or worse, the product is being shipped out of the US into developing countries like China, India, or within Africa when children deconstruct the product using acid baths or worse. The by-product is discarded into landfills and waterways, poisoning their environment and population. It's a bad situation. Do the research. The bottom line is an e-waste recycling "CREDIT" market is popping up, allowing these manufacturers to purchase e-waste recycling credits from e-waste recyclers to meet the requirements of each state. Only in America can we create such a contrived, nonsensical, bull#@•t program like this rather than simply mandate that ALL e-waste be recycled properly and build a disposal fee into the original purchase price to fund the initiative. I love Apple... but let's not get carried away praising them for "greenwashing" this issue rather than actually doing something about it. Don Biggs

  3. Nikki Abbott

    posted on August 13th, 2011 at 11:46 am

    good stuff...

  4. Sean Magee

    posted on August 13th, 2011 at 12:02 pm

    This is awesome!

  5. Tara Marina Pearson

    posted on August 14th, 2011 at 3:07 am

    this is only in the U.S. visit recycleyourelectronics.ca for Ontario collectors

  6. Karel Krpan

    posted on August 16th, 2011 at 7:28 am

    Great!

  7. Osaze Omorogbe

    posted on August 18th, 2011 at 8:55 pm

    Please can you send me materials on e-waste.

  8. Kv Brand

    posted on August 21st, 2011 at 1:50 pm

    nice to see apple, as always, doing the right thing, and giving itunes gift cards for e-waste. bravo. we carry apple itunes gift cards online in the UK at http://www.thegiftcardcentre.co.uk, and they're far and away our most popular item. If only other companies would learn from apple.

  9. Karleph Kenm

    posted on August 24th, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    Good idea! so I'd become your Representative in Gabon! If yes this my mail: karleph@gmail.co

  10. Mary Rolph

    posted on November 23rd, 2011 at 5:03 pm

    Just love Apple even more!

  11. Gloria Hardegree

    posted on December 1st, 2011 at 5:59 pm

    Great program but wrong name! E-waste? If it's a reusable or recyclable "commodity" then it is "E-Scrap".

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