Disposing of an old microwave

amethyst_babes

New Member
This may be a dumb question, but can I just throw an old microwave in the trash or do I need to take it somewhere special?

Thanks
 

ICit

Jam out with ur clam out
do what my neighbors do.... just toss it in your back yard :shrug:

OOHHHH god Im just kidding... dont do that :buddies: (but they do)

does it work?... if so - clean it up and drop it off at good will?
 

GopherM

Darwin was right
Put it in the box that the new one came in, seal it up so it looks like new, put it in the back of a pickup truck and park the truck either next to the LP theater or at St. Mary's square for about an hour. It will probably dispose of itself by the time you get back to the truck.
 

loriv

New Member
Please don't throw it in the trash...

It DOES have dangerous elements in it. You can recycle at any landfill or transfer station. If you're in Calvert you can also call the county (410) 565-1600 and request a FREE pick up, put it at the end of the driveway and they'll come get it on a specified day. My guess is St. Mary's does this as well, just call and ask. If it still works donate it and get a tax deduction for yourself, you can value it at whatever you deem it worth.
 

PrepH4U

New Member
Put it in the box that the new one came in, seal it up so it looks like new, put it in the back of a pickup truck and park the truck either next to the LP theater or at St. Mary's square for about an hour. It will probably dispose of itself by the time you get back to the truck.

:killingme great idea!
 

JTP

New Member
Not a dumb question at all. I'm a radiation safety guy. There is nothing hazardous in an old microwave oven. It produces no microwave energy unless it is plugged in and turned on. The active unit, the magnetron in the oven roof, is no more than a piece of regular trash unless you turn it on. Throw it in the metal section at the land fill or regular trash as alllowed. Have a great weekend!
 

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
It DOES have dangerous elements in it. You can recycle at any landfill or transfer station. If you're in Calvert you can also call the county (410) 565-1600 and request a FREE pick up, put it at the end of the driveway and they'll come get it on a specified day. My guess is St. Mary's does this as well, just call and ask. If it still works donate it and get a tax deduction for yourself, you can value it at whatever you deem it worth.
It does not! :duh:
 
Not a dumb question at all. I'm a radiation safety guy. There is nothing hazardous in an old microwave oven. It produces no microwave energy unless it is plugged in and turned on. The active unit, the magnetron in the oven roof, is no more than a piece of regular trash unless you turn it on. Throw it in the metal section at the land fill or regular trash as alllowed. Have a great weekend!

It does not! :duh:

Actually, yeah, it does. Not the microwave itself, that's all metal. However, the microwave units all have computer circuit boards which really should not be tossed in the trash. Remove the circuit boards and displays, then you can trash it. Recycle the circuit boards like any other electronic device.
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
Any of the recycle centers take old microwaves; don't they? The one down by me does.

FYI, I recently (last 6 months) tried to dispose of a broken all in one (copier / scanner / printer) at the St. Andrews transfer center - they no longer recycle computer stuff - guy told me to just throw it in the trash.
If it's working people will leave them by the fence instead of just throwing them away.
I believe you can take them to the landfill ($10 in county fee) and drop them at the "white" (?) appliance drop off space and they recycle them properly (or so they say).
 

Baja28

Obama destroyed America
Actually, yeah, it does. Not the microwave itself, that's all metal. However, the microwave units all have computer circuit boards which really should not be tossed in the trash. Remove the circuit boards and displays, then you can trash it. Recycle the circuit boards like any other electronic device.
oh poo. Throw the dang thing away. :lol:
 

GopherM

Darwin was right
:killingme great idea!

Simple logic. That's the way some New Yorkers got rid of their trash during one of the garbage strikes. It was near Christmas. They would wrap garbage so it looked like a Christmas gift, leave their car unlocked and problem solved.
 
Top