Recycling Sex Toys
Posted on: 12 October 2015
The sex toy industry was valued at approximately $15 billion in 2014 and is estimated to expand to revenues of $52 billion by 2020. The toys themselves are becoming more sophisticated and are including the use of technologies that can help to enhance either solo or partnered sexual experiences. However with development, there also comes the challenge of disposing of toys that have either outlived their usefulness, become broken or no longer meet the needs of their owners. With the current trend of reducing personal carbon footprints and decreasing the amount of junk that ends up in landfills, these toys will need to be properly recycled.
Here are a couple of ways to consider recycling toys that you no longer need or use:
Mail it in
One of the factors that has contributed to the exponential growth of the sex toy industry is the relative anonymity provided by online retail outlets for these commodities. The same privacy can be maintained by mailing your used (or unused) sex toys to a number of outlets that accept them. Some companies may even offer credit vouchers in exchange for recycled toys.
Make sure to clean the toy before sending it in. Once it reaches the company, they take the responsibility of dismantling the toy and sending the various components—such as plastic, silicone, rubber, electronic parts and batteries—to their respective recycling facilities.
Taking this step rather than just chucking old/broken toys into the closest waste basket can help to reduce toxins released into the air (from waste incinerators), reduce landfill waste and reduce any possible toxic chemicals that could seep into soil and ground water.
Find a scrap metal yard
There are some types of adult toys that are made entirely of metal. Some of these may also be too big to send in the mail. These types of toys can be disposed of at a local scrap metal yard. Depending on your comfort level, you can either take them in yourself or find a company that is willing to collect them for you.
The decision to have a company come pick up your metal toys and scrap might depend on just how much metal you do have to recycle, so you could choose to add other metal objects from scrap piles in your garage or shed if you have some.
For ease of transaction, it is recommended that you separate the metals as best as you can to make the collection and payment process easier. Non-ferrous metals are worth more than ferrous metals and can be identified when they repel magnets instead of attracting them. Separating the metal types might also help to reduce the time frame in completing this environmental good deed.
As with any recycling, make sure to call around to a few different local recycling companies, like Industrial Services Inc, to find out exactly what types of materials they accept. That way you can make sure you're getting your recyclables to the right place.
Share