Good Vibe's Gone Bad? Sex Toy Recycling Targets Dirty E-Waste
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA 
on 08.17.07
OK, we all know we should recycle our laptops, but what about our sex toys? Even our very own How to Green Your Sex Life failed to cover this one, but as European law now mandates the recycling of electronic devices, it is now technically illegal, and certainly irresponsible, to send your unloved (or over-loved!) vibrators to the landfill. From New Consumer we hear that UK company Love Honey has set up a rabbit amnesty to save folks the embarrassment of going to their local dump for proper disposal:
"Ruth Wilkinson from LoveHoney.co.uk explains the recycling process: ‘We take the used vibrators to a Designated Collection Facility (DCF). There the vibrators will be stripped of components that can be reused - these would most likely be resold. Printed circuit boards, which many vibrators feature, contain hazardous metals such as lead, chromium, cadmium and mercury. It is the DCF's responsibility to ensure that these are disposed of to the legal environmental standards. Specialist recyclers will normally recover these materials. If any vibrators are returned in boxes, the cardboard will be sent to a specialist cardboard recycler for processing."
But wait, don't send that favorite bedtime companion off in the mail just yet - users of this service are being asked, of course, to please clean their toys first. Disposal of sex toys isn't the only environmental issue, as many also contain serious toxins, so check out our THTV guide to buying a green sex toy here, or our valentine's day round up of sustainable sex toys here.::Love Honey::via New Consumer::
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This looks like something I would expect to see on Onion Radio News. Why go after one of the very smallest parts of the waste stream for recycling when so many larger streams of resources are being missed?
This makes no sense. If today was April 1st I would smell a joke, but I guess somebody doesn't get the concept of economy of scale. I can't help but imagine after a year of collection, somebody has a container with 72 smelly dildoes:)
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Author's Comment:
Every little helps. Given that the rabbit is apparently the best selling sex toy around, there may well be more out there than you think, and they are using increasingly sophisticated circuitry, which means more toxins. I personally think it's encouraging to see a retailer taking end-of-life responsibility for the products they put out on the market, especially if folks are going to be unwilling to recycle them through the conventional routes.
I have to agree 100% with the author's comment on the first post.
Every little bit helps. I think it's irresponsible to put down a company who is trying to help keep anything recyclable out of landfills. Good for them!
Besides making me smile, you made me think!
Ill have to teach the kinky one about this for his next buying expeditions.
Thanks again for some great ecoinfo!
I just wanted to comment on the person who said that this is one of the "very smallest parts of the waste stream..." while that may be, are they aware of just how many sex toys are sold these days? I am an independent distributor of adult novelties (we do home parties), and let me just say, this is a BILLION dollar industry! So I applaud the efforts that are now being made to aid in the recycling of said products. This is what we need...on any scale...so let's not say bad things about such a great idea! :)
This site offers a better incentive program for recycling your sex toys. It's free and they give you $10 for each toy you bring in. Recycle Sex Toys