How to Recycle Capacitors
Take extra care in disposing of all electric and electronic devices, but in some cases such as disposing off capacitors it is better that you look for an approved facility. Capacitors are used to store charges and have very limited options for reuse. Therefore when you replace a capacitor of your fan or of any other electric appliance, properly dispose it off.
An important step that should take here that is to hand over capacitors manufactured before 1979 to an approved facility. You can know about an approved facility either through the Environment Protection Agency. It is possible that your local recycling facility has an arrangement for disposing off capacitors manufactured before 1979. All capacitors manufactured before the year contain toxic chemical, such as polychlorinated biphenyl. Therefore, you have take extra care while recycling them. Do not hand it over to garbage collector at all. This can raise an issue of health and safety for you and you may be made liable for compromising safety rules.
Instructions
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1
Look For Information Through EPA
You can either visit the website of your local environment protection agency (EPA) to look for information about approved facilities for disposing off capacitors, especially if they are manufactured before 1979, or can contact their helpline to seek information about. You might find guidelines and facilities details that are useful for you. -
2
Contact Your Local Civic Authorities
You can also contact your local council or local administration/governments office for information about disposing off capacitors. They might have separate arrangements for collecting electric devices to disposing them off properly and as per safety guidelines. -
3
Contact Your Local Recycling Facility
You can also contact your local recycling facility if they have an arrangement in place for disposing off or recycling facility for electric devices including capacitors within the safety guidelines. Again, you be specific to inform them if capacitor is manufactured before 1979. -
4
Ask For Information From Garbage Man
If you have exhausted other options for finding information on recycling or disposing off capacitors, ask your garbage man. It is possible he knows the details of the facility where you can leave capacitors for proper disposal. -
5
Ask Local Charity
It is possible that your local charity, especially if they are working for the cause of environment, have information about an approved facility to dispose off capacitors and can guide you to the address. Generally charities have database of organizations serving different causes and might be able to give contact details of any such organization that works for disposal off of electric devices.
