Jules asked about recycling a toaster. If a small appliance is in good shape, the answer is easy. You simply pass it on to another person. Freecycle, Craigslist and thrift stores are all good options for rehoming an appliance that still works. The toaster in question seems to be at the end of its useful life, though. Unfortunately, when it is not working or has become dangerous to operate, getting rid of that appliance without tossing it in the trash isn’t so easy. 
So, what do you do?
One option is simply leaving an appliance unattended in your yard in a spot that can be seen from the road for a few minutes. You’ll hear the roar of a truck streaking away and look out at your nice empty yard. (If your neighbors are polite and don’t trespass, you might need to put the appliance out at your curb instead with a free sign on it.)
Another option is to call around to repair shops and see if they take free appliances to use for spare parts. It can be tough to find repair shops these days, but a few still exist.
A final option is to see if your small appliance would be useful to a salvage operation. If it has any metal, the operation may be able to reclaim it before disposing of parts that can’t be recycled.
Do you have any tips for recycling small appliances?
Photo: SXC
Post from: Blisstree