Samsung and uBreakiFix Partnership Makes Tech Recycling Easy and Accessible
NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- uBreakiFix® by Asurion and Samsung Electronics America (Samsung) are encouraging people to take a small action that can make a meaningful impact this Earth Day – recycle old or unused electronics.
The majority of Americans have between one and five tech devices at home that they no longer use, most often old cell phones and laptops[1]. Beyond taking up storage space, these devices contain reusable materials that, when recycled, can be reintroduced into the supply chain for use in other products. Recycling also helps keep electronic waste (e-waste) out of incinerators and landfills, which have harmful health and environmental implications.
Those ready to clear out their tech clutter can drop off eligible devices of any make or model – including cell phones, tablets, computers, printers, game consoles, DVD players and even cords and chargers – at their local uBreakiFix or Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions™ store. The stores will collect the devices and route them to a Samsung-authorized recycling partner, where they will be turned into raw commodities for future reuse. Samsung and uBreakiFix recommend people wipe their personal data before recycling their devices.
"Many people have a shoebox, junk drawer or storage closet where they stash their old electronics, stray cables and chargers that are no longer in use," said uBreakiFix CEO Dave Barbuto. "Often, people hold onto these things because they don't know what else to do with them, and they assume dealing with it will be a hassle. As a company, we have always prided ourselves on making device repair as convenient as possible – and thanks to our partnership with Samsung, we're able to make device recycling equally convenient for people."
Since 2008, Samsung has been committed to responsible recycling, which includes specifying their recycler's adherence to third-party audited certification standards like E-Stewards, designed to promote best practices for global e-waste recycling. The company strives to ensure that non-working electronic scrap is handled properly and never exported to the developing world. In December 2020, Samsung teamed up with uBreakiFix to further these efforts by launching in-store recycling at all U.S. uBreakiFix stores, at no cost to customers. That means, when customers drop off unwanted devices at uBreakiFix, they can feel confident knowing all products collected will be safely and ethically refurbished or recycled.
"Samsung has a long-standing commitment to recycling and refurbishing devices that consumers no longer have a use for. In fact, Samsung recycles an average of 100 million pounds of e-scrap per year in the U.S. alone – and we can do even more thanks to partners like uBreakiFix," said Ramon Gregory, Senior Vice President, Customer Care at Samsung Electronics America.
Those who recycle with uBreakiFix can also request a tech check on any device such as their smartphone or laptop, at no cost to the customer, to learn how to make their favorite devices last as long as possible.
"For us, reducing e-waste goes beyond recycling tech," Barbuto said. "It's also about helping people fix the tech they already have, versus replacing it when something breaks. Getting the most out of our current devices and then properly recycling them when they are no longer needed are simple actions that can have a big impact. We're grateful to partner with Samsung, both as an authorized repair provider and as an extension of its tech recycling efforts."
uBreakiFix and Samsung are inviting people to rally behind this cause in honor of Earth Day. In addition, electronics recycling is available at all U.S. uBreakiFix and Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions stores all year round, at no cost. For more information and to view a full list of eligible devices, visit ubreakifix.com/blog/reduce-reuse-recycle-ubreakifix.
About uBreakiFix® by Asurion
uBreakiFix® by Asurion specializes in the repair of small electronics, ranging from smartphones, game consoles, tablets, computers, and everything in between. Cracked screens, software issues, camera issues, and most other problems can be repaired by visiting uBreakiFix stores across the U.S. and Canada. Since 2016, uBreakiFix has served as a walk-in repair partner for Google Pixel customers. In 2018, uBreakiFix became a Samsung Care authorized service provider offering same-day, in-person support for Samsung Galaxy customers across the U.S. In 2019, uBreakiFix joined the Asurion® family and now operates as a subsidiary of the tech care company while still maintaining the franchise model. In 2021, uBreakiFix announced that all U.S. locations will rebrand as Asurion Tech Repair & Solutions™ throughout 2022. For more information, visit ubreakifix.com.
[1]Asurion-sponsored survey by Market Research Firm Dynata conducted March 2-9, 2022, of 1,965 U.S. adults (18+) representative of the U.S. population.
SOURCE uBreakiFix by Asurion
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