How do you dispose of resistors & capacitors?

Small capacitors, like resistors, are normally discarded as conventional waste. E-waste recycling centers will accept these components for recycling. PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are harmful and should be treated as hazardous waste in oil-filled capacitors. Here are 5 ways you can follow to safely dispose of resistors and capacitors:

Are capacitors hazardous waste?

Many people are unaware that when outdated capacitors reach the end of their useful life, they should never be thrown away in general waste. This is due to the fact that electrical equipment frequently contains a number of dangerous compounds. Thus, they have an influence on the environment and human health.

Are oil & PCB in capacitors hazardous waste?

The oil and PCB in capacitors are hazardous wastes. Capacitors must be removed from major appliances. Many capacitors contain oil. It should be removed for best practices in order to securely recycle the metal present in the capacitor. Some older oil-filled capacitors contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

How do you recycle a capacitor?

To recycle your capacitor, take it to an electronics recycling facility and check if they would accept it. You should be able to find a metal recycler that accepts capacitors in your region. Not all metal recyclers accept capacitors, but those that do are usually equipped to detect oil contamination. How to Dispose of Capacitors?

Should a small electrolytic be replaced with a film cap?

Replacing a small electrolytic with a film cap is rarely useful, and sometimes unhelpful. If the cap has the right value then it won't have much signal voltage across it so it can't add very much distortion.

Does a film cap add distortion?

If the cap has the right value then it won't have much signal voltage across it so it can't add very much distortion. In some cases the designer may be relying on a little ESR to dampen a resonance - a film cap will have much smaller ESR so will no longer do this.