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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The simplest no-cost route is to offer a working device to a local school, nonprofit, or charity that confirms it can use that exact item. If reuse is not an option, check your city or county’s electronics collection, household hazardous-waste facility, or the device maker’s or a retailer’s take-back program. There is no guaranteed free destination for every device: confirm that your laptop, desktop, or printer is accepted and ask about fees before you travel or ship it.
Choose the easiest route for your device
Start with the device’s condition and whether someone can reuse it. EPA and FTC guidance describes donation, local collection, and business take-back as possible routes—not a promise that every program accepts every item for free. Acceptance, fees, and current terms vary by location, provider, and device.
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Office Depot Tech Recycling Box, Large, 24" H x 18" W x 18" D | $22.32 | Buy on Amazon |
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Electronic Scrap (2 Foot Jumbo) Recycle Kit - 22"x22"x24.75" | $190.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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SUPPLY-192 Medium CFL Recycling Box | $143.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| Route | Best fit | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Donation or reuse | A working laptop, desktop, or printer that an organization can use | Whether it accepts that exact item, its condition, and any needed accessories |
| City or county collection | A household device that is broken or not suitable for reuse | Accepted device types, drop-off location or event date, and any fee |
| Manufacturer or retailer take-back | A device covered by a current company program | Brand and item eligibility, drop-off or shipping terms, and whether a mailing label is free |
| Certified recycler | A device needing recycling when other local options do not fit | Whether the facility takes the device, its service area, and any fee |
1. Ask a local organization about reuse
For a working device, contact a school, library, community center, nonprofit refurbisher, or charity before dropping it off. Ask whether it can use your specific laptop, desktop, or printer, whether its condition is suitable, and whether it wants accessories such as a power adapter. Do not assume that every branch or organization takes every type of electronics.
Reuse can extend a product’s useful life. If the first organization cannot accept the device, try another local recipient or move to a collection or take-back option.
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#1 Best Overall
- 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.
2. Check local electronics collection
For a broken computer or printer—or one no one can reuse—start with your city or county solid-waste management office. Ask about permanent electronics drop-off sites and upcoming collection events. A local household hazardous-waste facility may also be an option, but its accepted items and fees are set locally.
Before going, confirm that the site accepts the exact device and whether residential drop-off costs anything. The same check matters for collection events: rules can differ even between nearby communities.
Rank #2
- 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.
3. Look up manufacturer or retailer take-back
Device makers and electronics retailers may offer drop-off or mail-in programs. FTC guidance notes that some programs provide free mailing labels, but that does not mean every company, item, brand, or location qualifies. Check the current terms directly before packing or shipping a device.
For example, HP’s guidance names HP Planet Partners for HP-branded computers, monitors, and printers. Check HP’s current program details and eligibility; you are responsible for deleting personal data before handing over a computer.
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Rank #3
- MEDIUM ELECTRONICS RECYCLING BOX
4. Find a certified recycler if needed
If donation and convenient local or company collection are unavailable, EPA’s resources can help you look for electronics recyclers certified to the R2 or e-Stewards standards. Certification can help with recycler due diligence, but it does not establish that a particular facility accepts your device for free. Confirm the location’s accepted items and fees directly. EPA also says it does not endorse organizations or services listed in its resources.
Before handing over a computer: protect your data
Back up documents and photos you want to keep, then erase personal information from the computer before donation, trade-in, or recycling. The FTC advises: “Before you recycle or donate your old electronics, remember to delete any personal information you stored on the device.” You can transfer files to another computer, use cloud or external storage, and then follow current reset or erase instructions for your operating system.
Rank #4
- Mail-back recycling program includes PRE-PAID RETURN SHIPPING
- Recycle kit includes everything needed to properly and safely dispose of electronic waste
- Fill the kit with used electronics, computers, tv's, phones, etc., seal and ship
- Certificate of recycling available online after processing
- Note: Please return the filled recycling kit within 12 months of purchase to ensure proper processing and compliance with environmental requlations.
Handle lithium-ion batteries separately
EPA says lithium-ion batteries and devices containing them should not go in household garbage or recycling bins. Follow the current instructions from your local battery collection program and ask the electronics drop-off site how it handles a device with a built-in battery. Do not assume the battery can go in the same bin as ordinary household recycling.
Where can I donate or recycle my old computer and other electronic products?
For a working computer, ask a local school, nonprofit, library, or charity whether it can use that exact device. For a device that cannot be reused, check your local solid-waste office, household hazardous-waste facility, manufacturer, or retailer. Verify acceptance and cost before you go; EPA and FTC list these as possible options, not guaranteed free services.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- MEDIUM CFL RECYCLING BOX
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
