Each new gadget you purchase comes at a price to your pockets, however there’s a hefty environmental value to pay as effectively. Each telephone and laptop computer out there’s a non-compostable mass of metallic and plastic, and each new technology of them means extra uncommon earth metals pulled out of the bottom. Then there’s the human labor required to place them collectively, and the water and gasoline utilized in manufacturing and transport. All of it provides up, however you’ll be able to assist convey that value down a bit by recycling your outdated units.
Thankfully, corporations and governments alike have made it attainable to get rid of your outdated units responsibly. You may take your gadgets to a recycling middle, drop them off at a retailer, and even mail them in. Right here’s methods to discover locations that may take your outdated devices.
Nationwide chains
There is no such thing as a nationwide electronics recycling regulation right now, so that you received't discover any federal packages to help you with eliminating outdated units. The USPS does run a program for federal businesses and their workers, nevertheless it's not accessible to most people. As a substitute, the remainder of us must depend on nationwide retailers to toss out our outdated stuff.
Finest Purchase
With greater than 1,000 places in the US, there could also be a Finest Purchase near you, wherein case, you’ll be able to go to a location to drop off gadgets to be recycled. You simply have to take it to the customer support counter. They'll subject you a receipt, however remember that you’ll be able to't declare the drop-off as a deduction in your taxes as a result of Finest Purchase isn't a charity.
As of 2025, Finest Purchase additionally has a mail-in possibility. You should buy a small- ($23, as much as 6 kilos) or medium-sized ($30, as much as 15 kilos) field from the retailer, fill it up with as many permitted devices as you’ll be able to (whereas staying below the load restrict) and ship it again to Finest Purchase to be recycled. You may both drop off your packing containers at a UPS drop-off level or schedule a UPS pickup (don’t drop the packing containers off at a Finest Purchase retailer).
You may even recycle televisions and displays, although in most locations you'll be charged a payment of $30 per merchandise to cowl the upper prices of transporting and disassembling them. Finest Purchase’s in-house TV manufacturers, Insignia and Dynex, will at all times be accepted free of charge, although, so long as they’re smaller than 50 inches. (Shoppers in California aren’t charged the $30 payment, whereas places in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan cost the payment however provide a $30 reward card as reimbursement. Connecticut places will solely settle for Insignia and Dynex units for recycling.) When you're handing over any desktops, laptops or PC gaming equipment, you’ll get a voucher for 20 % off towards the acquisition of a brand new Logitech mouse, keyboard, webcam or headset. Simply bear in mind that Finest Purchase limits you to 3 gadgets per family per day, together with as much as two televisions or displays.
Staples
Recycling your stuff at Staples is much like Finest Purchase — simply convey your merchandise to the checkout counter and an affiliate will aid you out. However you’ll be able to solely usher in seven gadgets a day, and the shop received’t settle for televisions in any respect (displays are allowed). Staples Straightforward Rewards members additionally obtain factors for bringing in items to be recycled or shredded; the factors may be redeemed at checkout for reductions on purchases (200 factors = $1 off).
When you can’t make it to a retailer, Staples additionally provides a mail-in program. You’ll have to buy a recycling field first, which begins at $14 for a small field and goes as much as a number of hundred for a full pallet (solely accessible for industrial places). You may put as a lot as you need right into a field so long as it suits inside and doesn’t exceed the load restrict (a big field can settle for as much as 70 kilos). A “serialized” possibility can also be accessible for an extra cost, which incorporates a listing checklist for every part you ship again. The packing containers are shipped to you after which again to Staples at no further value; simply drop off the sealed packages at your native UPS drop-off level or name for a pickup.
Workplace Depot / OfficeMax
Workplace Depot and OfficeMax have nearly 1,000 places round the US however, in contrast to Staples and Finest Purchase, the corporate received't recycle your outdated devices free of charge. When you're solely getting rid of some telephones, batteries or ink and toner cartridges, these may be turned in at any Workplace Depot or OfficeMax retailer for no cost.
For every part else, you need to buy a Tech Recycling Field ($8.39 for small, $18.29 for medium, and $28 for big) even in the event you’re already on the retailer. After getting the field, you’ll be able to fill it with as many gadgets as you’ll be able to match inside, together with smaller televisions, so long as it doesn’t exceed the load restrict. So it's an amazing deal in case you have loads of stuff you need to get rid of. These have to be turned in at an Workplace Depot or OfficeMax retailer; an affiliate will verify to verify all of the gadgets are acceptable and put together the field for transport (you’ll be requested to fill out a type).
You can even return used ink and toner cartridges and get $2 every, as much as 10 a month, in the event you’re a rewards member and spend no less than $10 in-store on merchandise inside the similar month.
House Depot and Lowes
You may get rid of outdated rechargeable batteries, outdated telephones and CFL bulbs within the dropoff packing containers at any of two,300 House Depot or 1,700 Lowe’s places. The bins are normally positioned within the entrance of the shop, and House Depot has an 11-pound restrict on particular person gadgets, whereas batteries have to be below 300Wh.
Goal
Goal places have drop-off bins for recyclables positioned close to the doorway; along with bins for paper and plastics, there’s a specially-designated bin for e-waste like cellphones and used ink cartridges.
Producers
When you can't make it to a retail location, particularly when you could do away with just one or two gadgets, many corporations provide recycling packages for their very own merchandise. They'll even pay for transport. Some run their very own packages whereas others use exterior organizations. We've outlined insurance policies from a handful of producers under.
Amazon
Amazon would love so that you can use its trade-in program and, in the event you’re trying to recycle Amazon-branded merchandise like Kindles, Hearth TVs and even Ring doorbells, you completely ought to. Amazon will ship you a present card in addition to promotional low cost to make use of on a future Amazon machine buy, even when the returned product is non-functional.
For merchandise from different producers that may’t be resold, Amazon provides mail-in recycling by way of its accomplice Re-Teck. You may ship in your busted telephones and tablets, in addition to choose peripherals like keyboards and mice. You'll simply have to fill out some varieties on-line and generate a transport label, which you’ll be able to slap on any field. Drop it off at a UPS location, and also you're good to go; Amazon will cowl all the prices.
Apple
In case your iPhone or MacBook continues to be in fine condition, you must take into account promoting it, but when it's too outdated or beat up you’ll be able to nonetheless rating a present card by utilizing Apple's trade-in program. For iPhones (in addition to choose handsets from Samsung and Google) and iPads, you'll be requested to fill out a type testifying to the product's situation and given a trade-in quote (on the time of penning this, a working iPhone 8 snags you a $40 reward card and an iPhone 12 scores you $170). For Macs and Apple Watches, you'll be requested to offer a serial quantity as effectively. Although Apple received't provide you with money for something it deems too outdated, damaged or in any other case unacceptable, you’ll be able to nonetheless mail it in or convey it to any Apple Retailer so it may be responsibly disposed of.
Dell
Dell provides drop-off recycling by way of a partnership with Goodwill. Not each location participates, however there are greater than 2,000 that do. And, as a result of it's a charity, you could even have the ability to deduct it as a donation in your taxes. Dell additionally has a mail-back program on its website the place you’ll be able to generate and print out a transport label and drop the package deal off at a FedEx location as an alternative.
Epson
You may ship outdated merchandise again to Epson by merely making a transport label on its website and dropping it off at a FedEx location. When you’re positioned in New York, you’ll be able to even get free packaging despatched to you by calling 866-922-8252. Epson additionally recommends getting in contact with a neighborhood charity by way of Digitunity, the place your outdated tools could also be refurbished to be used by folks in want.
HP
When you can, HP recommends taking its merchandise to the closest Finest Purchase. HP does have a trade-in program, nevertheless it’s geared towards enterprise prospects trying to improve tools that also has market worth and particular person shoppers shall be redirected to different recycling strategies.
Ink and toner cartridges may be returned by mail; the corporate will mail you an envelope that may maintain between three and eight ink cartridges and may be dropped off in a mailbox or on the publish workplace. For toner and enormous portions of ink cartridges, you’ll be able to print out a label and use your individual field, or request a field be despatched on to you, which you’ll fill with gadgets and drop off at a UPS location.
Different producers
Many different corporations use exterior recyclers to get rid of their merchandise, and also you'll usually see the identical names popping up many times throughout completely different producers. This could simplify issues in some instances — you must have the ability to ship in merchandise from a number of sources in a single package deal. You simply have to fill within the make and mannequin to generate a pay as you go transport label. Nevertheless, completely different states have completely different guidelines on what you’ll be able to return, so the drop-downs for choosing your product could fluctuate by space.
Two main recycling corporations you'll discover quite a bit are RLG, which covers Acer, Google, Intel, Lenovo, and Microsoft; and MRM, which recycles merchandise for Brother, Hisense, Hitachi, HTC, Logitech, Panasonic, TCL and Wacom.
States
There will not be a nationwide regulation dictating that you need to recycle your electronics, however no less than 26 states have handed guidelines that change broadly on what they demand of producers and shoppers. Nearly all states that do acquire merchandise for recycling present this service free, with the invoice footed by the businesses not directly. Most present some native packages that will help you do away with your stuff, no matter whether or not recycling your devices is required or non-obligatory.
States the place you’ll be able to now not get rid of electronics within the common trash and should recycle them embrace: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
The next states have legal guidelines requiring producers to pay for recycling, however you, the patron, aren’t really required to recycle your electronics: Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.
The next states have some particular circumstances price noting:
Connecticut
Doesn’t permit recycling facilities to cost you a payment for handing over electronics, so many organizations and retailers that may normally cost for recycling televisions and displays don’t settle for them. Since you can not get rid of them curbside, you’ll be able to take them to a municipal switch station free of charge.
New York
New York State has a regulation making it unlawful to cost a payment at recycling facilities, so that is your greatest wager for disposing of outdated televisions (retailers can nonetheless cost for the service). When you dwell in a New York Metropolis residence constructing with 10 or extra models, contact your landlord about getting an ecycleNYC drop-off field put in in your constructing. It’s tremendous handy and free.
Pennsylvania
Doesn’t permit retailers to cost you a payment to recycle, so locations like Finest Purchase and Staples won’t settle for most televisions or displays. Many recycling facilities have additionally closed on account of underfunding, so verify the checklist of open places first. Some nonprofit recyclers should still settle for the gadgets, and you must verify to see in case your native authorities is internet hosting any drop-off occasions. Lancaster and Dauphin Counties additionally nonetheless run civic recycling packages.
Virginia
This state doesn’t have a devoted statewide recycling program, however some localities run their very own packages together with Fairfax, Loudoun and Rockbridge counties, and cities like Arlington. Verify every municipality’s website for particulars.
Cell telephones
Cell telephones are the best gadget to recycle — in the event you haven't already determined to promote yours off on eBay or by way of websites like Decluttr and ecoATM. However, if these choices don’t enchantment to you, you’ll be able to ship it to:
Call2Recycle, which has drop-off facilities everywhere in the nation in lots of chain shops, together with Lowes, House Depot and Staples. It’ll additionally settle for rechargeable batteries.
Cell Telephones for Troopers accepts telephones in any situation and sells them to refurbishers or recyclers. The proceeds go towards buying telephone playing cards for troops to allow them to name their family and friends again residence. To be clear, the telephones aren’t given on to the troopers. You may donate by way of mail: When you’re sending lower than 10 units, you’ll have to pay for transport. Greater than 10 units, and Cell Telephones for Troopers offers you a pay as you go mailing label. You can even simply drop it off at one among greater than 3,000 places.
The three main US carriers — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Cellular — all provide free recycling. You may commerce in your outdated machine in-store or ship it in for a credit score towards a brand new telephone, or allow them to straight up recycle it. AT&T additionally participates in Cell Telephones for Troopers.
When you do determine to strive your luck with ecoATM to see in case your outdated telephone continues to be price a couple of bucks and it seems it's price nothing, you’ll be able to no less than relaxation straightforward realizing that the corporate may also recycle your telephone responsibly.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/common/where-to-recycle-electronics.html?src=rss
