Headphones and earbuds are an important part of everyday life. Whether you’re listening to a podcast on your commute to work, enjoying your favorite songs during a run, or learning about something via audiobook, audio is a big part of all of our lives.
With this in mind, it’s no surprise that the worldwide headphones and earphones market was estimated at US$22.3 billion in 2022. It’s predicted to be worth US$35.2 billion in 2028, with a growth rate of 7.9% CAGR from 2022 to 2028. (Future Market Insights – FMI) But, this rapid growth in the market has had some unintended consequences. The result? Millions of broken or unwanted earbuds, headsets, and headphones end up thrown away in landfills every year, creating untapped environmental waste which could be avoided through recycling.
Safe and secure recycling
As humans, we tend to accumulate things. We all have a “junk” drawer or two filled with items we just don’t know what to do with, including old earbuds, or broken headphones that you don’t want to throw carelessly in the trash. Well, what if you could recycle them for good?
In March of last year, we launched a free headphone and earbud recycling program to make it easier than ever to start incorporating sustainable practices into your life. Together with our partner TERRA, The Electronics Reuse and Recycling Alliance, and their Done With IT program, we offer mail-in recycling that helps reduce e-waste by providing free recycling services to consumers of any brand of audio device. This ensures that this particular type of e-waste is recycled safely, securely, and in an environmentally friendly way.
Stay green, save green
So how do you get started? It’s easy! Gather up any old headphones or earbuds lying around that are no longer being used and place them in a shippable envelope, bag, or box. Then visit donewithit.org/avid to get your FREE shipping label and drop it off at your local shipping facility. Once it’s received, every part of the earbuds and headphones will be recycled responsibly by TERRA’s network of certified e-recyclers and you can feel good knowing that you are helping keep e-waste out of landfills. Learn more about what happens to your recycled earbuds and headphones from TERRA President and CEO, Steve Napoli.
Did you know, nearly 100% of e-waste can be reused or recycled for materials recovery?
Earth Day is every day
Most eco-conscious consumers are more aware than ever of how their actions and purchases affect the environment, but many of us are burdened by budget, time, or convenience. At the same time, technology is constantly changing, and companies across many markets are releasing new and improved products on a regular basis, with headphones and earbuds being no exception. That’s why it’s so important to us to take ownership of our products, the ways in which we use them, and where they end up—perpetuating a circular economy benefitting both people and the planet.
While we’re all about being responsible for our actions and purchases, we know sometimes it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends in eco-consciousness. So we hope you take advantage of recycling programs like ours to minimize your impact on the environment. This upcoming Earth Day, or any day, we want to encourage everyone to recycle their unwanted headphones, earbuds, and headsets in an effort to reduce e-waste and improve recycling practices now and in the future.
So far, we have recycled over 1,450 pounds of earbuds, headsets, and headphones, and together we can make an even bigger impact! And did we mention that it’s free?
Learn how to stay green, save green, and get started today by clicking here.
#HappyEarthDay
Share This Post
