Costco has good news for the countless members who have outdated, unwanted electronics that cannot go into the garbage (for good reasons) and no where to recycle them!

Through the Trad-in & Recycle Program on costco.com, computers and certain other small electronics can be recycled free - and in some cases you'll actually be paid for the item.

The program covers PCs, LCD monitors, digital cameras, camcorders, game systems and MP3 players, and it's extremely easy to use.  You just go to costco.com, identify the type of equipment you want to dispose of, and a value estimator will indicate whether it has any trade-in value.  You then ship the item, using a free, prepaid shipping label.

If the item has any trad-in value, you'll be sent a Costco Cash card for that amount.  If not, you;ll have gotten rid of an unwanted item, -without putting it in the garbage stream - free.

Costco is offering the program in coordination with GreenSight, a company specializing in the safe disposal of consumer electronics.  GreenSight salvages parts that have any value, then works with other companies to safely dispose of materials that have reached the end of their useful life cycle.  The company has zero-tolerance landfill plicy , and does not ship electroics materials overseas.

For complete details on the program, go to costco.com, click on "Electronics", then on "Trade-in Recycle."