Every day, exciting features are continually added to fitness trackers. This could explain why fitness tracker users are constantly updating their devices. And why not? These upgrades come with better functionality and a new wave of experience.
But what happens to your old fitness tracker? Are there safe disposal avenues? It turns out you can recycle your fitness tracker in easy ways.
What do I do with my old fitness tracker?
Statistics show that 33% of fitness trackers users upgrade their fitness watches after every six months. The urge to upgrade exists because of new products hitting the market in the ever-changing fitness tracker world.
But what can you do with your perfectly fine, but not-super-current fitness tracker?
I’d recommend the following tips.
1. Gift your old fitness tracker to relatives or friends
Hang on to your old fitness tracker and gift it to your kin. They would probably like it! An old fitness tracker does not necessarily mean it is spoiled. If spoiled, take it for repair, and it will be as good as new! Just be sure to sync your device to an account you can easily access to capture your data. You should also delete all your data from the old fitness tracker. Lastly, completely disconnect the fitness tracker from your phone. This will ensure there is no backlog for the new user to deal with.
2. Do people accept fitness trackers as donations?
Donations give a second life to wearables. You can consider donating your old fitness tracker through charity or directly to needy recipients. Low-income populations, ethnic minorities, and senior citizens will likely make good use of the donation. In donating, you will have given someone else a chance to use technology, especially when they could not afford it.
3. Feed the second-hand market
You’ll be shocked at how huge and welcoming the local and international market is for used fitness trackers. There is a huge demand for slightly used, slightly faulty, and in some cases completely smashed fitness trackers.
The amount of money you draw from the sell-off will depend on the condition of your fitness tracker. Most selling avenues include pawn shops, electronic shops, and online stores such as eBay. All you have to do is to clean your device and package it attractively thoroughly.
4. Give it to a recycling company
Recycling offers a safe handling and disposal avenue for a spoilt-beyond-repair fitness tracker. This means of disposal reduces pollution and, by extension, takes care of the environment.
Can Fitbits be recycled?
Yes, most fitness trackers (Fitbit Surge, Garmin, and other wearables) can be recycled.
- The best way to recycle a fitness tracker would be to package it well and return/ship it to the manufacturer. The manufacturers will then use your spoilt or old model to make an improvement, dispose of it or use in other suitable ways
- Visit an electronic shop and enquire whether they have an operational recycling program. Most electronic shops tend to offer recycling services. If not, they can redirect you to other places
- Recycle your damaged tracker at a local e-waste recycling outlet. Fitness trackers fall in the class of hazardous waste, which must be appropriately handled. The used batteries in fitness trackers contain heavy and reactive metals that can be toxic or corrosive. E-waste recycling facilities provide an environmentally sound recycling approach for batteries. The facilities will safely recycle your old fitness tracker instead of ending up in a landfill and causing pollution.
What to do with old Fitbit after replacement
In most cases, Fitbit users tend to get rid of their old Fitbit trackers soon after replacement. Are you one of them? Good! Gift, donate, sell, or recycle your old Fitbit instead of throwing it in the trash.
What do I do with my broken Fitbit?
In most cases, your broken Fitbit doesn’t belong to the trash!
- How about you repair it? Check the manual for an easy fixing guide. You can also refer to online hacks and Do-It-Yourself help for possible solutions.
- Visit your local repair shop and seek assistance
- Visit your Fitbit shop with the warranty certificate and request for after-sales services (This will only serve if your issue arises within the one-year warranty period).
- Reach out to Fitbit stores with discount offers on new Fitbit trackers
Genius tip
If you take care when using your device, you will not end up with a broken Fitness tracker. A simple tip like cleaning your tracker with a microfiber cloth is all you need.
You can also consider buying a screen protector for screen safety and a protective device cover to protect your Fitbit, and against dirt and rough surfaces.
The info we have shared above will apply even on future Fitbits, so don’t hesitate to come back to this post whenever you want to remind yourself on how to recycle a Fitness Tracker. Happy recycling!
