Where to give away unwanted electronic equipment? Small items can still be useful
Ekologia
12 June 2025
Electronic equipment is one of the most frequently replaced items in the home. New ones are not always bought when the old ones are no longer usable. It is not uncommon to simply replace them with better models. This is often the case with smartphones or cameras. Fortunately, unnecessary but still functional electronics do not have to be thrown away. Where can you return electronic equipment? With EKO Returns you can give things a second life.
Unnecessary items - what to do with them?
Electronic equipment such as mobile phones, tablets, watches, irons, blenders and laptops are just some of the items that end up in landfills that shouldn't be there. However, many of these items can be reused and instead of throwing them away, take advantage of InPost's Eco-returns . What is it?
This service was created in cooperation between InPost and the Reclaim the Environment Foundation. It consists in the fact that electronic devices, clothes, books, toys and other unnecessary items can be packed into a cardboard box and sent back to the Foundation for free via any Paczkomat®. There, they undergo fitness tests and are assessed for reusability in part or in whole. If the basic functions of the donated item are retained, it will be destined for re-marketing or donated to community organisations. Sending is very simple and can be easily ordered via the website or the InPost Mobile smartphone app.
Have unwanted electronics? Donate it to others and earn InCoins in the loyalty programme. Visit the "Rewards" tab in the InPost Mobile app to find out more.
On your phone in the app, simply go to the Return tab and then select Donate to Foundation. There, you select the size of the parcel according to the dimensions given and the product category to which the returned equipment belongs. In the case of hairdryers or tape recorders, this will be Electronics. Then you just confirm your details and confirm the order. Two delivery codes will immediately appear on your smartphone screen: a digital and a QR code.
Then all that's left to do is go to a nearby Paczkomat® machine and select the parcel delivery option on the machine's screen. You can then either scan the QR code from the app or enter the 9-digit delivery code yourself. Both actions will open the appropriate box into which the packed electronic equipment can be placed. In this way, it will find its way to the Foundation via an environmentally friendly delivery method and gain a new lease of life.
Before returning electronics, it is important to remember that they should be complete. In addition, it is worth knowing which items cannot be returned within the framework of ECO Returns. These include, for example, batteries, light bulbs or medical equipment. Such items may pose a danger during transport and to those accepting the parcels. It is also important not to treat E-returns as a way of getting rid of, for example, unsuccessful purchases in an online shop. This is a place for second-hand items, and giving them to the Foundation does not involve any cash refunds. If you have damaged electronics and don't know what you can do with them, use one of the electro-waste bins - the https://elektrycznesmieci.pl/pojemnik/
Donating electronics - why is it worth it?
When the user of a new device finds out where to donate electronic equipment, he or she begins to consider whether it is worth doing so. There are at least several reasons why this behaviour is highly advisable. First and foremost, such action proves helpful to others. People in need are very willing to accept working kitchen appliances, computers or gadgets. Not everyone finds it easy or at all possible to buy new electronics. Thanks to the Foundation, a working item donated by people will find its way into the hands of those who are willing to use it.
It is also very important to consider the environmental impact of giving objects a second life. Electronic equipment usually consists largely of plastic, which takes many years to decompose and harms nature. Thanks to ECO Returns, instead of ending up in the rubbish heap, electronics get a second life and get into the hands of the needy. If a device cannot be fully used for any reason, its individual components are recycled. Eco-returns are therefore part of the zero waste trend, which everyone should try to implement in their own lives.
With EKO Returns, you can rest assured that your equipment will be taken care of by specialists. Each item first undergoes a quality check and is serviced before it goes to its new owners. Experts prepare the electronics so that they are in the best possible condition and can serve the next person for a long time. They delete data belonging to previous owners, for example, if this has not been done before. Even if some minor repairs have to be made, a much smaller carbon footprint is produced during these repairs than during the manufacture of a new device. In addition, shipping by Parcel Machine® also fits in with the environmentally friendly philosophy, and most of us have a machine close to where we live or work.
The whole sending process is very simple and in a few moments you can get rid of unnecessary equipment lying around the house. Each parcel has its own number and can be tracked in the InPost Mobile app in exactly the same way as when you are waiting for your online shopping parcels. The process is also made easier by the fact that you do not need a printer to prepare the shipping label. All you need to do is manually write the tracking number on the carton. 
How to pack electronic equipment for donation?
Where can you return electronic equipment? Instead of throwing functional items in the bin, it is essential to consider ECO Returns. The only task facing the sender is to ensure that the appliance is securely packaged and the package is dispatched. It is great if the parcel fits into the eco trend! Above all, it is a good idea to keep the cardboard boxes from the parcels you receive as a result of online shopping. This way you have something to pack your electronics in for shipping. These devices are often very fragile, as they have screens and many other parts that are susceptible to damage. They therefore need to be properly protected.
The shipper must ensure that the electronics in the carton are immobilised. This is where fillers come in handy. It is advisable to use primarily the natural ones, i.e. paper or scropak. This is a much better option than, for example, bubble wrap. Fillers can even be pages from old notebooks, pages from newspapers or already completed crossword puzzles. Simply crumple them up and fill the entire cardboard box thoroughly. Paper tape can be used to secure the outside. This is a more environmentally friendly alternative to the plastic versions.
Unnecessary electrical and electronic equipment and the 3Rs principle
The ECO Returns service is in line with the 3Rs principle, or reuse, reduce, recycle. Translated into Polish, it means: reuse, avoid, recycle. The idea is to pay attention to producing as little waste as possible. Waste has a destructive effect on the environment, so it is important to think carefully before you throw something away. In addition, in order to reduce waste, it is also important to be considerate when shopping.
The reuse of products fits perfectly with the aim of ECO Returns, which was created so that electronics and other items can gain new owners. Disposal means recycling. As each package passes through an inspection, unusable devices are broken down into their parts and travel to be recycled. In this way, new items are created from them.
The opportunity to donate electronic equipment as part of ECO Returns is not all. Everyone can also send back to the Foundation products belonging to other categories - Clothing, Footwear, Sports equipment, Small household appliances, Books and Children's items. Perhaps it is time to do some spring cleaning and get rid of those items that have been sitting around?
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