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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallFor a working device, try repair, upgrade, donation, or a take-back program before recycling. For unusable electronics, use a local collection service or recycler that confirms it accepts your item. Keep lithium-ion batteries—and devices that contain them—out of household trash and ordinary recycling; route them to a battery collection or household hazardous-waste program instead. Before handing over any device, erase your personal data and check the receiving program’s requirements.
Collection rules, accepted items, fees, and drop-off locations vary across the United States. Verify the selected program’s current terms before traveling or shipping anything.
Choose the right route for each item
| What you have | What to do |
|---|---|
| Working device you still need | Repair or upgrade it if that makes sense; keep using it rather than discarding it. |
| Working device you no longer need | Consider donating it, returning it through a manufacturer or retailer program, or using another take-back option. Include the accessories needed to make it work if you donate it. |
| Unusable electronics | Check local or state waste-agency guidance, community collection events, manufacturer or retailer take-back, or an electronics recycler. Confirm the program accepts the exact item. |
| Loose lithium-ion battery | Use a separate battery-recycling program or household hazardous-waste collection. Do not put it in household garbage or a curbside recycling bin. |
| Device with a lithium-ion battery inside | Keep it out of household garbage and ordinary recycling. Find a program that accepts the whole device and its battery. |
| Cables and cords | Ask the local program or recycler directly whether it accepts them; acceptance is not universal. |
The EPA’s electronics donation and recycling guidance and the FTC’s advice on donating or recycling old electronics point consumers toward donation, take-back, and community options. Neither means every store or curbside service accepts every device, battery, or cable.
Where can I donate or recycle my old computer and other electronic products?
Start with the computer’s condition and the receiving program’s item list. If it works, donation or take-back can extend its useful life. If it does not, look for a local collection program or a recycler that accepts that type of equipment. Check the program’s location, hours, fees, mail-in conditions, and rules for accessories before making a trip or sending a package.
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- Use Office Depot's Tech Recycling Service for your broken electronics. Each year, Americans throw away millions of tons of old or broken electronics, creating potentially harmful waste known as tech trash.
- STEP #1: Choose your box size.
- STEP #2: Fill the Tech Recycling Box with as many acceptable items as will fit. Be sure the box can close with all items inside. NOTE: Please do not seal.
- STEP #3: Bring your unsealed Tech Recycling Box to any Office Depot store. A store associate will inspect your box to ensure all items are acceptable and that the box can be closed. If everything meets these guidelines, you will be asked to complete a form and the box will be accepted and shipped for recycling.
- Acceptable items include: Monitors, fax machines, desktop and laptop computers, printers, scanners, keyboards, mice, telephones, digital cameras, VCR/DVD players, televisions, cords and cables.
For a recycler, consider a facility certified to the U.S. EPA-recognized R2 (Responsible Recycling) or e-Stewards standard. EPA says the standards are assessed through accredited independent third-party audits with ongoing oversight, and address environmental performance, worker health and safety, security, downstream handling, reuse and recycling, and data destruction. EPA’s certified electronics recyclers page links to facility finders. EPA notes that the listings are informational and do not constitute an endorsement; verify that a listed facility accepts your specific item.
Use these questions to compare options:
- Does the program accept your device, cables, batteries, or damaged equipment?
- Is it a local drop-off or mail-back service, and are there costs or shipping conditions?
- Will the item be reused, refurbished, or materially recycled?
- How does the program erase data, and can it provide documentation?
- Does the recycler hold a relevant third-party certification?
Rules and collection approaches are set at state and local levels. Check your municipality, state waste agency, county or local government, or landfill office for current options. EPA also points to household collection resources; confirm details with the program itself.
Rank #2
How should I dispose of lithium-ion batteries?
Do not place loose lithium-ion batteries or devices containing them in household garbage or ordinary recycling bins. EPA warns that these batteries can cause fires during transport, at landfills, and at recycling facilities. Batteries can be crushed or damaged in municipal recycling equipment designed for common household paper, plastic, metal, and glass. A recycling symbol on a battery does not mean it belongs in a household recycling bin.
Loose, undamaged batteries
Take them to a separate battery-recycling program or household hazardous-waste collection point. Before transport, cover the terminals with non-conductive tape—EPA prefers electrical tape—or put each battery in its own plastic bag. This step helps isolate the terminals; it does not make the battery safe for household trash or curbside recycling.
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- Holds electronic waste and LEDs. Electronic waste includes any electronic components that power on and have any chip or board parts. This includes, but is not limited to computers monitors, telecom gear, fax machines, and televisions
- Each UN certified container comes with a poly liner, instructions in English and Spanish, terms & conditions, and a pre-paid return shipping label.
- Access exclusive online features including recycling reports, container tracking, and certificates of recycling.
Battery still inside a device
Use a program that accepts the complete device and its battery, such as an appropriate take-back service, certified electronics recycler, or local household hazardous-waste program. Ask whether the battery must be removed and handled separately; do not assume the collection site accepts it in place.
Swollen or damaged battery
Treat a swollen battery as damaged and a potential fire hazard. If there is no immediate threat, contact the manufacturer, retailer, state waste agency, or local household hazardous-waste program for case-specific directions. Keep it away from flammable materials while arranging the correct route. Avoid puncturing, dismantling, or mailing it without explicit guidance. If there is an imminent fire threat, emergency services may be needed. EPA’s lithium-ion battery FAQ provides further handling guidance.
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- MEDIUM ELECTRONICS RECYCLING BOX
Erase personal data before handing over a device
Delete personal information before donating or recycling a computer, phone, tablet, or other storage-capable device. Follow the device maker’s reset or erase process, and remove accounts, memory cards, SIM cards, and removable storage where applicable. Check the receiving program’s instructions, especially if the device no longer powers on.
Ask the recycler how it handles data and whether it provides records of erasure or destruction. EPA says R2 and e-Stewards standards require destruction of data on used electronics; EPA also says certified recyclers are audited and keep erasure records for laptops. These safeguards do not replace asking the specific facility what it will do with your device.
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- The Supply-061 RecyclePak Electronic Recycling Box provides a prepaid, convenient and environmentally responsible way to recycle a wide range of electronic devices, including computers, tablets, monitors, printers, and other e-waste, ensuring proper disposal and minimizing the potential for hazardous materials to end up in landfills.
- Veolia adheres to the rigorous R2v3 standards, ensuring that your electronic waste is handled responsibly throughout the recycling process, from collection to final disposition, protecting both the environment and data security.
Do not assume cables belong in curbside recycling
Cables and cords are not covered by a universal acceptance rule in the federal guidance. Some community programs may accept items with electrical cords, but acceptance depends on the particular program. Check with the local collection service or recycler before dropping cables off, and do not put them in a curbside bin unless your local authority explicitly allows it.
Why responsible recycling matters
Electronics can contain recoverable materials, but published figures should be read as historical estimates rather than current guarantees. EPA reports that a 2006 USGS estimate found recycling one million laptops could save energy equivalent to the annual electricity use of more than 3,500 U.S. homes. A separate 2006 USGS estimate reported that recycling one million cell phones could recover 35,000 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, and 33 pounds of palladium. These are historical estimates cited by EPA, not current audited outcomes for any particular program.
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