Renton, WA

This is a nifty Costco trick, sponsored by GreenSight Technologies. You can turn-in your item for credit in the form of a Costco Card, or just plain recycling, for many of your old electronics. They will send you a UPS pre-paid label to mail your item in to them, and you fill out the form online. So it takes almost zero effort to get rid of your old stuff. If your item does not qualify for any trade-in value, you will be offered the opportunity to recycle your item for free.

Items which are included are: Notebook PCs, MP3 players, Desktop PCs, LCD monitors, Game Systems, Camcorders, Digital Cameras, SmartPhones, and PDAs. They offer free recycling only, no credit, for CRT Monitors, Personal Printers, and Fax Machines.

This is a great deal to recycle your CRT monitors, since I know RE-PC charges you to take them, and office supply stores like Staples only periodically will take them for no charge. I find it hard to believe that they would provide me free shipping to recycle such an item, but went as far as I could through the sign-up process without actually commiting myself, and it definitely said “Qualifies for free shipping to recycler for disposal.”

The only catch is the small print which says “Your email address will be provided to Costco.com, which may use it to send you brief advertising announcements regarding special offers, hot buys and services from Costco.com and other Costco companies”. I think that’s more than fair.

Use this link to begin application for this trade-in program or call 800-955-2292 (6am to 6pm PST weekdays; 8am to 5pm PST Saturday).