I've lost track of the number of earbuds I still have in my desk drawer. Add onto those the earbuds I've bought that hurt my ears, and the pile is huge! Whatever you do, don’t throw them in the garbage!

Less than 25% of e-waste is recycled and in 2022 alone, more than 6.9 MILLION tons of e-waste was produced in the U.S. according to PIRG.

You’ve got some pretty easy options available to recycle headphones/earbuds. Less in the landfills is always positive.

1️⃣ Best Buy stores will accept used headphones for recycling. No cost to you!
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/services/recycling/pcmcat149900050025.c?id=pcmcat149900050025

2️⃣ Try out this handy, zip-code search function by Earth911 to find other local recycling centers. Search on “headphones” or “audio equipment.” https://search.earth911.com

3️⃣ JLabs works with a recycling center to break them down & dispose of them properly. And when you mail them in, they give you a 30% discount on a new pair (if you need them).
https://www.jlab.com/pages/recycling

PS - Use our 🔍 search functionality to find more info on hard-to-recycle items! Use keywords: recycling 101
(You can find our search 🔍 function in the upper right corner when you exit this opportunity.)

📸: Josh Valcarcel, Wired