Garbage disposals are excellent appliances to have at home because they aren’t high maintenance. However, there will come a time when you will need to replace it or get it fixed.
At times, the better solution is to just dispose of the old garbage disposal and get a new one instead. Still, the question remains, how do you do it?
Continue reading to find the answer.
Disposing of Old Garbage Disposal
It is essential to make a conscious effort to reduce the waste we produce. Every person on this planet has a humongous debt to pay for the damage we have caused to the environment.
Electronic appliances cannot be sent to a landfill. In fact, in some states, it is illegal to do so, and you may have to face the consequences of making this mistake.
This is why it is good to research and find better alternatives to dispose of garbage disposal safely.
Typically, garbage disposal has a running life of 10 years.
Of course, if you regularly clean the garbage disposal, avoid throwing unsuitable items, and empty the waste every two weeks, your garbage disposal may last longer.
Nevertheless, eventually, you will have to dispose of your old garbage disposal. Here are a few steps you can take if your garbage disposal is still in working condition, but you need to dispose of it.
Give it to a Friend Who Needs It
Not everyone is financially stable. It is essential to give back to the community and help whenever possible. Sometimes, we do not realize that the person in need could be one of our friends.
You must be considerate and think about your friends and relatives who are trying to survive in this economy just like you.
If you have plans to buy a new garbage disposal, or you just want to get rid of it now, you can choose to give it to a friend as a hand-me-down.
It is an excellent way to play your part in sustainability as well. There are always people around us who need such appliances for ease.
Also read: How to Dispose of Old Refrigerator?
Donate to Charitable Organizations
Another way to dispose of a working garbage disposal and do something good along the way is to donate it to a charitable organization.
There are plenty of nonprofit organizations that would be happy to take a working garbage disposal off your hands. They have access to people who might need it, making your work easier.
You may also give it to a local charity shop, and they will take the garbage disposal if it’s in good working condition.
Some charity organizations that sell products donated to them might not be interested in garbage disposal unless it has barely been used.
This is because even if you keep the garbage disposal clean, debris will likely be stuck in places you can’t reach. Hence, many organizations do not prefer to sell them like other home appliances.
Still, you can find organizations that will accept the donation as is and use it for their premises or find somebody who needs it more.
Sell it Online
Sometimes we do not get our expectations met when we buy a new appliance. Usually, it can be returned. However, there may be times when returning it isn’t possible.
In this case, you can sell it online. Selling things online is an excellent way of disposing of items (of any kind) that you want to get rid of. This way, you will also get back some of the money you invested in it.
There are plenty of different platforms online where you can try selling your garbage disposal, such as Facebook, Craigslist, eBay, etc.
You would be surprised to see how many people are interested in buying a used garbage disposal. If you find it overwhelming to sell online, you can include it in a garage sale and sell it off in person.
Before you decide to give it away, donate or sell it online, you must thoroughly clean your garbage disposal and empty the waste in it.
It would be quite unethical to sell or give away something dirty and stinky. Hence, you must ensure that your garbage disposal is clean inside out and there is no stench of the waste on it.
Use as a Compost Shredder
Since your garbage disposal is still in working condition, you can find other ways to use it.
You can use it as a compost shredder and shred waste from soft food items. There are plenty of tutorials on the internet that can help you achieve this.
It only requires a few tweaks, and you will be able to use it as a compost shredder. Remember only to use soft items with water so that nothing gets stuck in the pipes.
In case your garbage disposal cannot be fixed and is broken, we recommend the following:
Fix it
Before you dispose of your garbage disposal, think it over. If its average life of 10 years hasn’t passed, then perhaps you can get it fixed.
You will have to call a plumber to fix your garbage disposal. Now, the average replacement cost can be anything between $150 and $1000.
If you have the skills, the solution for this is to fix it yourself. The tools you need to fix your garbage disposal are commonly used in homes, such as a screwdriver, epoxy, putty pliers, etc.
You can easily search for tutorials online to fix it efficiently. However, if you think it is too much for you to handle and you might mess something up, call a plumber.
Also read: How to Dispose of Small Appliances?
Curbside Recycling
Another way to dispose of your garbage disposal is to recycle it. Some states have the curbside pick-up program as a measure to give citizens access to recycling.
You can contact your local authorities to see if it’s available for your state and call them up for pick up.
This service is provided to citizens who want to dispose of electronic home appliances. However, the rules of what you can dispose of through this program are different for every city.
Hence, it is important to know this information before you take this route.
The website of your area’s governing body has all the necessary information about the appliances they pick up, the fee, and the time your item can be picked up.
In fact, you may also opt to pay online, which is a bonus. Once they pick up your garbage disposal, they will recycle it safely.
Also read: How to Dispose of Solar Panels?
Scrap to Recycle It
Garbage disposal is made of metal and plastic, and an environmentally-friendly way to dispose of it is to take it apart.
It can be a long process, but you could turn it into a recycling project if you have the skills to handle tools. The parts of a garbage disposal are tightly sealed and may require a lot of effort.
Here are step-by-step details about the process of taking apart a garbage disposal.
Step 1: Pull apart the power cord from the garbage disposal. You may use some force to pull on it, or you can use pliers to cut the wire.
Step 2: There may be a rubber flange on the garbage disposal that you need to remove.
Step 3: In order to reach the motor, you must use a screwdriver to open the bottom cover plate. Once you open this cover, you will be able to see if the motor windings are Aluminum or made of copper. You can do this by using a flat-file tool to scratch it. You do not need to do anything to the windings if they are made of aluminum.
Step 4: The electric connections of the cover plate would be copper and silver. You have to scrap it next.
Step 5: Afterwards, you have to loosen the screws on the disposal’s side. This will give you access to the grinding chamber in the garbage disposal.
The screws are screwed on very tightly. It will require a bit of effort, but you can surely do it.
Step 6: Take out the copper windings, which finishes the process of taking apart the garbage disposal. You can separate the metal and plastic parts now.
The plastic parts you take out can go directly into your recycling bin. As for the metal parts, you can sell them to a local scrap dealer, who will gladly take them.
The kind of metal parts in your garbage disposal depends on their model and brand. Even if you manage to take out the parts carefully, the most you can make out of the scrap is $3.
Of course, it’s not a lot of money, but your decision to recycle it would be better than sending it to a landfill.
Also read: How to Recycle Old Radiator
The Bottom Line
Electronic appliances cannot go into the landfill because that would damage the soil surrounding the area. Hence there are a few ways to safely and responsibly dispose of garbage disposal.
There are plenty of ways to dispose of it, or to recycle. However, we should always try to help someone out before getting rid of an appliance.
There are always people out there on the lookout for used appliances to save a few bucks.
That is why it will be beneficial to give away your garbage disposal to a friend who needs it or donate it to a charitable organization that will make good use of it.
If your garbage disposal is no longer fit to use, it is better to recycle it or find another use for it.
However you choose to dispose of your garbage disposal is your business, as long as you ensure to do it safely.
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