How to Dispose of Power Wheelchairs

Power wheelchairs contain sealed lead batteries so it is illegal to discard power wheelchairs by traditional methods. Power wheelchair recycling programs are one way you can dispose of your old wheelchair. Wheels for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that recycles wheelchairs, estimates that "more than 100 million children and adults worldwide need wheelchairs and do not have them due to lack of access, lack of money, or both."

Instructions

• 1

  Find a wheelchair recycling program. Some well-known programs include The Wheelchair Recycler, the Wheelchair Recycling Program and Wheels for Humanity. (See Resources.) Also, check with more generalized equipment recycling programs such as Friends of Disabled Adults and Children Too, or, if the wheelchair is child-sized, you can contact Equip KIDS International. (See Resources.) Wheels for Humanity's collections are limited to the western United States.

• 2

  Contact your preferred wheelchair recycling program.

• 3

  Deliver your wheelchair or arrange to have the organization pick it up. Having the wheelchair picked up usually costs about $10.

• 4

  Get a donation receipt. Although the wheelchair recycling programs do not provide a specific value for your tax write-off, you can use the receipt along with the values determined by the Internal Revenue Service to deduct the amount on your annual income tax. You can only deduct charitable contributions if you itemize your deductions on your income taxes.