We hope your Jetson serves you long and well—but if the day ever comes when it’s reached the end of its journey, please take care to dispose of it safely and responsibly.
Products with electronic components and mineral-rich rechargeable batteries—like many of ours—can’t go to the curb with your everyday trash. “E-waste,” as it’s called, requires special handling.
Luckily, there are electronics recyclers and e-waste collection/drop sites all over the country with teams that are skilled, trained, and certified in the dismantling and disposal of e-waste. Read on for more info and guidance.
What’s the deal?
There are a few reasons products with batteries and electronics inside need to be disposed of carefully. Among them:
- Environmental protection & preservation – Some components in electronics can be recycled, and many of the elements in rechargeable batteries are valuable natural resources, which can be harvested for re-use.
- Health & safety precautions – It’s not good for products that carry electronic charges or of certain chemical make-ups to get crushed or damaged by being lumped in with other waste. To protect against chemical leaking and exposure that could be harmful or dangerous, and to prevent forceful impact that could lead to fire and explosion, these components need to be properly contained and controlled.
What to do
Getting rid of your old Jetson safely can be quick and easy. Here’s how to go about it.
- Know exactly what kind of e-waste you’re disposing of.
The first step in the disposal process is knowing exactly what you’re disposing of—because certain e-waste sites only accept certain kinds of things. When it comes to rechargeable batteries, some of the most sensitive e-waste components, we use two different kinds:
- Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries – These are in Jetson hoverboards, e-bikes, and some e-scooters models. (More info on lithium-ion batteries and their disposal can be found here.)
- Lead-acid batteries – These are in our electric ride-ons and some e-scooters models. (Check out this site for more info on lead-acid batteries.)
To find out if your product has a battery in it, and what exactly what kind of battery that is, refer to “Specs” section of the user manual for your model.
- Check with your local municipalities and waste haulers.
They’ll know about proper disposal of these products as it relates to local regulations, and may be able to direct you to an e-waste disposal site in your zip code. - Search for partner collector sites.
If your local municipality does not accept e-waste, don’t fret. Many retailers and organizations have teamed up with e-waste handlers and serve as convenient drop-off sites for end-of-life electronics. They include:
- Electronics, hardware, and office supply stores
- Nonprofit organizations dedicated to this
- Specially designated municipality garbage collection sitesPop-up e-waste events in local parks and plazas
- Sporting goods stores and independent bike shops.
Online databases run by environmental groups and government agencies make it easy to search for drop sites by location. Don’t forget to filter for those that accept specific materials/items, including those with the rechargeable batteries mentioned above.
Look for the Certified Electronic Recycler accreditation when choosing an e-waste collector, indicating that certain standards are met regarding safety and management of electronic device disposal.
- Drop it off and find yourself a new ride!
What else?
A few last notes on saying “goodbye” to your Jetson.
- Don’t forget about chargers and cords—which also fall under the umbrella of e-waste and cannot be tossed in with regular garbage. Never save your charger to use with products other than the one it came with.
- Do not attempt to disassemble your Jetson in order to disconnect or remove the battery, and never destroy your Jetson as part of the disposal process.
- Consider calling your local bike shop to see if they know of any drop sites for e-mobility devices.
- Do not donate, sell, or give away a Jetson that has reached the end of its life. If it’s not working at full capacity, rider safety could be at risk.