Retire a humanoid robot through a documented, model-specific process—not a generic teardown. Before anyone touches or opens it, identify its energy sources, battery, peripherals, data and connected services; obtain the manufacturer’s shutdown and transport instructions; then coordinate trained staff, IT and an appropriate recycler. This U.S.-anchored guidance is a baseline: the robot’s instructions, workplace procedures and local waste and transport rules govern the actual job.
What to do before retiring a humanoid robot
Assign one accountable owner and involve operations, workplace safety, IT or security, procurement, and environmental compliance. A robot can combine powered joints, stored energy, batteries, electronics, sensors, removable media and remote services. Those elements need separate controls and disposition decisions.
Before work begins, record the make, model and serial number; battery chemistry, configuration and condition if known; attached tools and accessories; charging equipment; other energy sources; connected networks and fleet services; and intended destination. Gather the applicable operating, service and transport instructions and ask the manufacturer about shutdown, safe transport, data removal, battery handling, and take-back or service options.
Vendor data practices are not universal. For example, Agility Robotics describes Digit as processing camera and sensor data onboard while transmitting system-health and diagnostic information to its Arc platform. Check the current instructions and service terms for the specific robot rather than assuming another manufacturer handles data the same way. Agility Robotics: Digit 5 and Agility Robotics FAQ.
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How do I safely shut down a humanoid robot for disposal?
Only trained, authorized personnel should control hazardous energy or prepare the robot for handling. Follow the employer’s energy-control procedure and the manufacturer’s model-specific instructions. Do not assume that pressing a power button, disconnecting a battery, or applying a lockout device by itself makes the robot safe.
- Schedule a controlled shutdown. Coordinate operations and IT so the robot is not receiving remote commands or being used while the work area is prepared.
- Apply the site’s hazardous-energy controls. Authorized staff should identify and control the energy sources specified for that robot, using the employer’s procedures and manufacturer instructions.
- Verify the required safe state. Assess residual electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, gravitational and thermal energy as applicable. The required checks depend on the model and the task.
- Secure the work area and prevent restart. Keep bystanders clear and maintain controls against unintended activation or remote commands while authorized work is underway.
OSHA lists control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) among workplace standards relevant to robotics, but it does not establish a dedicated humanoid-robot retirement procedure. Its robotics material emphasizes evaluating hazards in the context of the particular system and application. OSHA’s technical discussion concerns industrial robot systems; apply it to a retirement task through a site-specific assessment, not as a universal humanoid shutdown recipe. OSHA robotics standards and OSHA Technical Manual: Industrial Robot Systems and Industrial Robot System Safety.
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How should the battery and electronics be handled?
Keep the battery as a distinct end-of-life stream. Do not put a lithium-ion battery—or a device containing one—in municipal trash or ordinary recycling. Arrange an appropriate designated recycling route and confirm in advance that the recipient accepts the robot’s battery chemistry and condition.
Do not attempt to remove an integrated battery pack or discharge cells as a general disposal step. If a battery is damaged, do not treat it as routine material for shipment or handling; contact the manufacturer or a qualified battery recycler for instructions. OSHA advises worker information and training and emergency-response planning for lithium-ion battery hazards. OSHA: Safe Handling of Lithium-Ion Batteries.
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EPA says most discarded lithium-ion batteries would likely be ignitable and reactive hazardous wastes, but whether a particular battery is regulated depends on the applicable determination and circumstances. In the United States, non-household generators must determine whether spent lithium batteries are hazardous waste and manage them accordingly if they are. Requirements can depend on generator status and jurisdiction; consult applicable rules rather than assuming a consumer collection route is suitable. EPA: Used Lithium-Ion Batteries and EPA: Frequent Questions About Universal Waste.
How do I wipe a humanoid robot before recycling it?
Coordinate data handling with the organization’s IT or security team before disconnecting, transferring or sanitizing the device. Inventory onboard storage and removable media; cameras, sensors and any recordings; user accounts and credentials; logs and diagnostic channels; fleet-management or cloud services; network access; and backups. Preserve records the organization is required to retain, and record what is retained, transferred or erased.
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- Coordinate network isolation. Work with IT or security to remove the robot from networks and prevent further access or remote commands without disrupting records that must be preserved.
- Use the approved sanitization process. Apply the organization’s media-sanitization requirements to storage and removable media. A factory reset or file deletion should not be assumed to meet those requirements.
- Close connected access. Revoke credentials and API keys, and ask the vendor to confirm device deregistration and the disposition of cloud-held data or service records.
- Document the result. Record media handled, data retained or erased, accounts closed, and vendor confirmation received.
NIST defines media sanitization in terms of making access to target data infeasible for a stated level of effort. The appropriate method depends on the device, service and organization’s requirements. NIST SP 800-88 Revision 2 (2025).
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who can recycle an industrial humanoid robot?
Start with the manufacturer’s take-back or service channel, then consider a qualified recycler that confirms it can accept the actual unit or its separate material streams. Do not assume a consumer drop-off accepts a large industrial robot, its battery or unusual components.
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Compare potential routes against the needs of the specific robot. Ask each recipient to confirm:
- Whether it accepts the whole robot or requires separate streams, and which components it will handle.
- Whether it accepts the battery’s chemistry and condition, including any damaged-battery requirements.
- What packaging and dangerous-goods transport rules apply, and who is responsible for arranging transport.
- How data-bearing storage is handled and what evidence of sanitization or custody is available.
- What receipts, recycling certificates or other handoff records it provides.
- Whether its service covers the robot’s location and complies with applicable local rules.
Do not rank providers without current, location-specific evidence. Confirm acceptance and transport arrangements before moving the robot; applicable waste obligations depend on jurisdiction and, in the United States, may also depend on whether the generator is a household or non-household entity.
What records should be kept at handoff?
Close the asset and access records once the destination has accepted the equipment. Keep a record that links the robot’s identity to its final disposition, without retaining credentials or sensitive data unnecessarily.
Quick Recap
- Make, model, serial number and retirement date.
- Components removed or transferred, including battery details when known.
- Data disposition and connected-service closure, including vendor confirmation where applicable.
- Recipient acceptance, chain of custody, transport records and recycling receipts or certificates.
- Updates to asset, software, access-control and maintenance inventories.
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