Thinking about throwing out your older hearing devices? You might instead consider recycling, which can help someone else in need of hearing aids get the enhanced hearing experience they deserve.
If you’re interested in learning more, let us know at S.E. Wisconsin Hearing Center, Inc. and we can help you get the ball rolling here. Meanwhile, here are some other helpful tips on how hearing aid recycling programs work.
How to Recycle Your Hearing Devices
Hearing devices represent a major investment for many Americans. Some who might benefit from wearing them delay or skip treatment due to cost concerns. Because hearing ability constantly changes, even with treatment, those who do wear hearing devices will likely need to upgrade to new ones at some point.
Rather than toss them in the trash, consider donating your hearing devices to those in need. Here are some options for upcycling your devices:
Lions Clubs, including in Wisconsin, offer the Hearing Aid Recycling Program (HARP) to provide affordable, refurbished hearing devices to individuals who are unable to afford them in Canada and the US.
Hear Now in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, accepts donated hearing devices and will repair and resell them, using the proceeds to purchase new devices for people who can’t afford them.
Service organizations at the local and national level often run hearing device banks and offer recycling programs.
The Knights of Columbus also collects used hearing devices.
Sertoma is another organization that can help. Their Sertoma Hearing Aid Recycling Program (SHARP) offers options for recycling hearing devices. If your local club doesn’t participate in the program, you can still donate devices to Sertoma International’s Sponsorship Department.
State programs are often available for collecting used hearing devices. A few examples include:
- California: John Tracy Clinic uses donated hearing devices in their programs for children or sends them to manufacturers to re-use parts and credit toward the cost of refurbished hearing devices.
- Utah: Utah’s state government has a Hearing Aid Recycling Program that is run by its Hearing, Speech and Vision Services agency in Salt Lake City.
- Minnesota: Washington County, Minnesota provides a “Take it Back” program in conjunction with local businesses.
Check with your state or local municipality to learn about similar programs in your area.
Additionally, many senior citizen centers have hearing device recycling programs, and some hearing device manufacturers will also take back used devices for recycling. Contact your specific manufacturer to learn more.
Now that your own hearing aids have been upgraded, you should be ready to take the next step and recycle your hearing aids. Though policies vary from state to state, you might even qualify for a tax credit from your donation!
Call S.E. Wisconsin Hearing Center today at (262)884-4327 to learn more about how we can help.
