Think about any toy you have that moves, lights up, or makes noise. Maybe it’s a remote-controlled race car, a talking doll, a handheld video game, or even a robotic dog. 

Have you thought about what will happen to that toy after you no longer want to play with it? There’s a good chance it’ll eventually end up in the trash. 

Any toy with a plug or battery is considered an electronic toy, or “e-toy” for short. In 2022, people worldwide threw out more than 7 billion e-toys. That’s according to a recent report from a group called the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Forum.

Many people don’t realize that e-toys can—and should—be recycled. Though recycling these products isn’t easy, doing so is important for the environment.

Think about any toy you have that moves, lights up, or makes noise. Maybe it’s a remote-controlled race car or a talking doll. It might be a handheld video game or a robotic dog. 

What will happen to that toy after you no longer want to play with it? There’s a good chance it’ll eventually end up in the trash. 

Any toy with a plug or battery is considered an electronic toy. That’s “e-toy” for short. In 2022, people worldwide threw out more than 7 billion e-toys. That’s according to a recent report from a group called the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Forum.

Many people don’t realize that e-toys can—and should—be recycled. Recycling these products isn’t easy. But it’s important for the environment.

You may not realize how many electronics you use each day. Phones, tablets, TVs, toasters, and electric toothbrushes are some examples. It’s just a matter of time before these items are thrown away. In the U.S., people produce more than 7 million tons of electronic trash each year. That’s enough to fill more than 400,000 garbage trucks!

E-toys are an overlooked part of the electronic waste problem. Billions of e-toys get thrown away worldwide each year. By one estimate, about 90 percent of them don’t get recycled. Instead, most e-toys end up in landfills. Over time, chemicals in e-toys’ electronic components can seep into the soil and groundwater. Those chemicals can put people and wildlife at risk. 

What’s more, many e-toys contain valuable rare metals like gold and copper. These metals are mined from deep underground. When e-toys aren’t properly recycled, these metals go to waste. 

“Recycling is important because it allows us to get those materials back and use them again,” says Callie Babbitt. She’s a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology who studies electronic waste. 

So why don’t more e-toys get recycled? For one thing, many people don’t realize they should be recycling them. It’s no wonder, considering the lack of regulations. In the U.S., only 25 states and Washington, D.C., have laws about recycling electronics. These laws include devices like TVs and laptops. But no laws specifically mention e-toys. As a result, many recycling centers don’t accept them.

Also, Babbitt points out, it’s difficult for recycling facilities to deal with e-toys. They’re much harder to recycle than plastic bottles or aluminum cans. Sometimes e-toys are glued or screwed together. This makes it difficult to reach the electronic components inside. Plus, some e-toys contain various types of materials. These include plastic and fabric. Each material must be recycled separately. That would take a lot of time and money.

Still, Babbitt says, there are ways to ensure that more e-toys don’t end up in the trash. For starters, you can donate gently used items to a local charity. 

Avoid putting e-toys in the regular trash or recycling bins with paper and plastic. Instead, Babbitt suggests searching online for a collection center near you that accepts e-toys for recycling. It may take some effort to find one, but it’s worth it to help protect the planet. 

“Education and awareness is a big first step we can take,” Babbitt says.

Still, Babbitt says, there are ways to ensure that more e-toys don’t end up in the trash. For starters, you can donate gently used items to a local charity. 

Avoid putting e-toys in the regular trash. Don’t put them in recycling bins with paper and plastic. Instead, Babbitt suggests searching online for a collection center near you that accepts e-toys for recycling. It may take some effort to find one. But it’s worth it to help protect the planet. 

“Education and awareness is a big first step we can take,” Babbitt says.