The Journey of a Recycled Hearing Aid

Renew Reuse Recycle is a mantra in my family.  Toys and clothes get passed along to anyone who might enjoy them.   Often my hearing aid patients ask what can be done with hearing aids that are no longer being used.  We mention the “Donate Now” button on our website that connects them to Hear Now, a program run by the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

Here is what happens when you send your hearing aids to Hear Now. 

Your hearing aid goes on a journey that results in providing hearing help for a person in need.  Here is how your hearing aid goes from you to someone in need:

1. The original owner ships to hearing aid to Starkey Hearing Foundation, ATTN: hearing aid recycling, 6700 Washington Avenue South, Eden Prairie, MN 55344
2. The donation is received and documented, and a letter of acknowledgement is sent to you.
3. Aids are sorted by make and model.
4. Everything gets used: components are removed and salvaged for rebuilding.
5. Hearing aids are rebuilt to specification – both custom (in the ear) and behind the ear models.
6. Custom shells are cleaned and buffed. Ear hooks are fitted for over the ear styles.
7. Each aid goes through the Quality Assurance process so the new owner is assured of accurate and appropriate amplification.
8. Aids are packaged and made ready for missions.
9. A person in need is fit with hearing aids.   The Starkey Hearing Foundation is changing lives, one at a time.

This is not a new program – Starkey has been doing this work for many years.  But only recently did I realize that each and every hearing aid can be put to use for the benefit of people in need. I’m proud that we work with Starkey/Audibel, a company that has a core belief in changing lives in the U.S. and around the world. To date, more than 560,000 hearing aids have been recycled – AMAZING!