Don’t Chuck That Tech: 7 Simple Ways to Recycle Electronics

Planet Earth has a massive electronic waste problem. We humans throw away so many phones, computers, batteries, and other electronic junk that in just a single year, we create over 136 billion pounds (62 billion kilograms) of e-waste. And to make matters worse, only a small fraction of that waste is properly collected and recycled, so most of it ends up in landfills.

Getting rid of old electronic items, whether it’s because they no longer spark joy or literally have started to spark, is a task that must be handled properly. (And remember to first wipe your information from old computers and phones before you turn them in.)

Recycling is often presented as the solution, and while it’s not the complete answer to what to do with e-waste, it’s arguably the best option we have. To that end, we’ve assembled this guide to places that will take your old or dead electronics and either turn them into something useful for someone else or make sure they’re safely recycled. You can also check with the town or city you live in to see if electronics recycling is available at a local government facility.

Best Buy

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Nationwide electronics retailer Best Buy has, arguably, the best recycling program going. Its website details exactly what the store will take, and a drop-down menu in each category allows you to see any specific regulations for your state. You can bring in up to three items per day.

Most items can be recycled for free, while others might make you eligible for a discount or get you a trade-in deal. The store charges a haul-away fee for large appliances ($100), TVs ($59.99), and fitness equipment ($59.99), as long as you’re purchasing a replacement at Best Buy.

If you’re not buying anything from Best Buy, it will haul away two large items and an unlimited number of smaller items from a list of approved items for $199.99.

If you can’t make it to a Best Buy store in person, there’s also a mail-in recycling program where you get a box with a mailing label that you can drop off at any UPS store or have UPS come pick up. There’s a charge of $22.99 for a small box that you can fill with up to 6 pounds of items or $29.99 for a medium box that can be filled with up to 15 pounds.

Staples

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When you’re picking up printer paper at Staples, you can also drop off lots of electronics for recycling. The office supplies retailer has a free electronics recycling program with a long list of categories. You can bring in up to seven items per store per day.

Rewards Members can get $5 per month for recycling electronics, as well as earn points. If you’re a member and have spent $30 on toner in the past 180 days, you’ll earn $2 for each toner cartridge you recycle.

You can also recycle from home with Staples. You can pick up or have shipped boxes in five sizes (small, medium, large, half pallet, and full pallet) from $14.19 to $397.65. Once filled with recyclables, they can be brought to UPS or picked up by UPS.

Businesses can use Staples’ recycling program for their old tech, ink, and toner cartridges, and even those K-cups their coffee machines spit out.

Apple Trade In

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Your old Apple devices can go back from whence they came with the Apple Trade-In program. If your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac is in working order, you could trade it in toward a new item or receive an Apple gift card for it. And if your device is broken or is a smaller Apple item like AirPods, you can still recycle it for free.

The program isn’t just for Apple products: It accepts Android phones, printers, and more. Bring your items to an Apple Store, or get a prepaid shipping label from the Apple trade-in site.

Walmart CExchange

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Walmart CExchange pays you for phones, tablets, game consoles, speakers, laptops, and wearables as long as they have enough value—but no matter what condition the items are in, they’ll be dealt with in an environmentally responsible way. Most electronics are reused, repaired, and refurbished. If they’re beyond usable, they’ll be recycled.

To participate in the program, fill out an online form, and you’ll get a free prepaid shipping label from FedEx Ground. If your item has monetary value, you’ll also receive a Walmart gift card.

Amazon Recycling Program

(Credit: Amazon)

Amazon devices like Kindles, Echo smart speakers, Ring devices (as well as some items from other brands like phones and gaming devices) can be traded in for 20% off qualifying Amazon devices, as well as a gift card with Amazon Trade-In. You can either ship the devices, bring them to Whole Foods, or bring them to an Amazon partner store. They will then be refurbished by Amazon and put up for sale.

Electronics from Amazon and other brands can be recycled for free through a third-party recycling program that has partnered with Amazon. Fill out a form about your device and you’ll receive a UPS shipping label.

Amazon also offers a guide on how to recycle all of its packaging.

Call2Recycle

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Call2Recycle focuses on batteries and cell phones: It directs people to local recycling drop-off partners, including Home Depot and Lowe’s.

Earth911

(Credit: Earth911)

Earth911 is a nationwide clearinghouse for recycling programs of all kinds. The electronics category is an A-to-Z (well, A-to-V, for vinyl records) guide of drop-off and mail-in programs you can search for by ZIP code. Just tell the site where you live and what you’re hoping to recycle, and it’ll show you the nearest places where you can drop your old gear off—often free of charge.

3 Simple Tips for Recycling Old Electronics