One of the things that attracted me to work for Gazelle is that its founders decided to launch recycling as an add-on, free service for their customers. With lots of money to be made in electronics recycling, this is a meaningful and… in my opinion… very cool decision. By electing not to make money off melting down metals in your old Nokia or iPod, we’re able to set stringent guidelines for our recycling partners and give our customers peace of mind that their items are being disposed of properly (see more at end of post).

While it’s true that we find new, happy homes for most electronics that come to Gazelle (more than 90%), thousands of items sent to us have reached their true end of life and are responsibly recycled.

We just finished up counting all those products and learned that in 2009 we recycled more than 17,000 electronic devices, including 12,000 cell phones, more than 1,000 digital cameras and 1,500 MP3 players. Together it added up to more than 7 tons of electronic devices that were saved from landfills. Who knows, instead of becoming e-Waste, maybe your old Dell is a new fashion accessory or even an Olympic medal

A bit more about Gazelle recycling:

Gazelle’s recycling partners must adhere and commit to the following:

• No export policy with regard to unprocessed recyclable e-waste material
• No landfill policy to prevent any and all e-waste from entering solid waste landfills
• No use of prison labor as defined in Basel Action Network’s creed
• Data Security: All products are wiped free of personal data prior to destruction

Additionally, they must also be associated or accredited by one or more of the following:

• Independently audited ISO 9001:2000 and/or 14001 certifications
• A state issued ID # or recognized equivalent from the EPA
• A documented EMS (Environmental Management System)
• A safe, environmentally sound workplace free from any OSHA violations or citations