When your microwave shows signs of aging or breaks down completely, it is time to replace it. This means you are bound with the challenging task of throwing away your microwave oven.
Microwave oven is a type of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEE) requiring specialist disposal. Fortunately, our team can help dispose of your microwave oven, and we’ll walk you through the procedure.
5 Ways to Dispose of Microwave Oven
Check the local laws and regulations in your area before disposing of your microwave oven. Microwave ovens are classified as electronic waste. Microwave ovens cannot be thrown in the trash or tossed in the dumpster. It is best to consult your local regulations if you need help with microwave oven disposal.
Listed below are 5 ways to dispose of your microwave oven properly.
1. Donate Your Working Microwave
An old but working microwave can be donated to friends, family members, and charitable institutions. Nearby schools or businesses may also need microwave ovens in their employee lounge.
There are 2 good reasons to donate a working microwave oven.
- You prevent them from being thrown out of a landfill.
- You provide someone with a working appliance who may afford to buy a microwave oven.
2. Sell Your Microwave
Selling your microwave online will provide you with the extra cash you could use to purchase a new microwave or add to your savings account.
There are local yard sale groups and online communities that make it easy to find potential buyers.
3. Take it to a Local Recycling Center
Taking your old microwave oven to an e-waste recycling center is an eco-friendly solution to microwave disposal. You can drop off your microwave at your local recycling center or pick it up.
Once your local recycling center has accepted it, the microwave oven will be broken down into small fragments and separated into ferrous and non-ferrous materials before being sent to smelters. Other materials found in microwave ovens will be recycled separately.
4. Hire a Professional
Professional waste removal companies can handle your waste responsibly from start to finish. Hiring a professional to do the waste management is the best choice if convenience, efficiency, and peace of mind are what you’re after.
5. Arrange a Bulky Waste Collection Service
Most local councils offer bulky waste collection service; however, the availability may vary from area to area since the demand is high and the resources to provide this service is low. You may need to wait for some time to have your microwave collected.
Council waste collection may not free since disposing of electronic waste is not easy.
How Not To Throw Away Your Microwave Oven
There are many options to help you dispose of your microwave ovens, but there are also ways to not throw your microwave oven.
- Do not throw your microwave on the side of the street for passersby to collect, as leaving it on the road is a crime and constitutes fly-tipping.
- Do not put your microwave oven in general waste or domestic bins. Under white goods disposal laws, households are expected to adhere to their duty of disposing of electronic waste properly.
Electronic recycling R2-certified companies like TechWaste Recycling can also manage the disposal of your microwave oven. Give them a call to schedule a pickup, see the locations we serve.
