Companies that Help You Recycle

When we think of green companies, we think of those that have reduced their use of energy, raw materials, or hazardous materials, those that are reducing shipping emissions, or those that make use of pre- and post-consumer recycled materials. But many companies recycle used products-and some don't restrict recycling to their own brand.

Here's our round up of large companies that go the extra green mile.

Ikea

Furniture and home décor giant Ikea has great recycling programs that extend to post-consumer waste. Most Ikea stores also serve as collection points for materials such as packaging, electrical and electronic equipment, used batteries, and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). The company safely recycles these materials so they can be used in new products.

The company also repairs product rather than discarding it. If an item can be repaired, it is sold at a reduced price in a special area of the store; if it is not repairable, it is used for spare parts whenever possible.

Nike

Shoe manufacturer Nike, has been widely criticized for labor practices, but there's one thing they're doing right. Nike's Reuse a Shoe program recycles uses shoes, as well as pre-consumer materials such as scraps and defective shoes.

At the company's two recycling centers—one is in Oregon, and other other is in Belgium—shoes are separated by material (rubber, foam, and fiber) and they are chopped up into what the company calls Nike Grind. The Grind is then used for various athletic surfaces: rubber is used for running tracks; fabric is used in for cushioning under basketball courts; and foam is used for tennis courts.

Pre-consumer recycled material—the manufacturing scraps and flawed shoes that aren't saleable—is also used to make new shoes, substantially reducing the company's material waste.

Nike accepts all brands of shoes, but they don't take dress shoes, sandals, cleats, or any shoes containing metal. More than 25 million pairs of shoes have been recycled globally since the program began in 1990.

The program is currently only available in the United States, and Vancouver, Canada. Click here for drop-off locations.

Apple

Apple does a lot of recycling—in fact, 1 percent of the company's total greenhouse gas emissions are related to recycling materials.

Recycling programs are available in about 95 percent of countries where Apple products are sold, and all e-waste is recycled in the region it is collected in, so the shipping emissions are minimized. All recyclers have to comply with health and safety laws. Incineration and dumping in solid-waste landfills is prohibited, as is the use of prison labor.

Apple recycled 33 million pounds of e-waste in 2008, reaching a 41.9 percent worldwide recycling rate; the recycling rate is calculated by dividing the weight of materials recycled in 2008 by the weight of materials sold seven years earlier (this calculation is based on the assumption that computers have a seven-year lifespan). It was a huge increase in recycling over 2008, when the recycling rate was just 18.4 percent, and Apple hopes to reach or surpass the 50 percent mark in 2010.

Dell

Computer manufacturer Dell also offers recycling for computers and monitors, as well as ink and toner cartridges.

If you own a Dell computer or printer, you can recycle your electronics through Dell for free. But if you're buying a Dell computer, you can also recycle any brand of computer and monitor for free when you make your purchase. The program is available to individual and small business customers.

Each time you purchase a replacement ink or toner cartridge, you'll get instructions and shipping materials to send the cartridge back to Dell. The cartridges are recycled to reuse materials, and any materials that are not recyclable are "disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner," Dell states on their website.

Best Buy

While they sell plenty of energy waters, Best Buy also makes the effort to do a lot of post-consumer recycling.

Best Buy's Greener Together program offers free recycling of most e-waste, regardless of if you bought the products from Best Buy. There is a $10 fee for TVs that are 32" or less, CRTs, and monitors in some areas, but you'll get a $10 Best Buy gift card to offset the fee. There is a limit of two items per day per household, and there are some regional restrictions, so consumers should check Best Buy's website before dropping off electronics.

Every Best Buy in the United States also has a kiosk just inside the door where you can drop off inkjet cartridges, rechargeable batteries, CDs, DVDs, cell phones and smart phones, PDAs, and even Best Buy gift cards for recycling.