This may not come as news to you, but we have a lot of trash in this world. What probably is news, however, is that some of our favorite devices are doubly bad for the environment. Electronic waste, or e-waste, is any electric product or appliance that is no longer of use, and it has some serious opportunity built right inside of it. First, some of the precious minerals that are used in every bit of circuitry are incredibly rare and can be reused, but they also can leak chemicals that landfills are unequipped to handle. In fact, for 25 states in the US, disposing of e-waste in regular garbage is illegal. That’s why we’ve put together this hardware recycling guide on how to properly recycle your e-waste, no matter where you are.
If your electronics are still useful, donate your devices to a good cause, trade them in, or sell them. Remember- if your electronic device contains personal information, though, like a mobile phone or personal computer, make sure to wipe the memory clean following the manufacturer’s guidelines and remove any hardware, like SIM cards or flash drives. Donating, trading, or selling used electronics that haven’t been properly reset to manufacturer specifications can put you at risk of identity theft or other cybercrime.
Contact Network-Value for an equipment valuation quote for your old office phones and hardware.
Eventually even the most beloved electronics need to be laid to rest. When you can’t get an extra hour of fun from your gaming system or text from your cell phone and nobody will pay you to take them off your hands, you need to find a place to accept them. Take a look at the list of states that have organized e-waste reclamations below in our Hardware Recycling Guide or visit one of the retailers who has an e-waste recycling program in your area for when that TV-tube computer monitor has flickered its last screen. E-waste recycling retailers include Office Depot ($5-$15 to get rid of items), Goodwill, and Best Buy.
Alabama
Electronic recycling locations by city
Alaska
Electronic recycling locations by city
Arizona
Electronic recycling locations by city
Arkansas
E-waste collection centers by county
California
Covered Electronic Waste Recovery and
Recycling Program participants by county
Colorado
Map of e-waste recycling and collection locations
Connecticut
E-waste drop-off locations by town
Delaware
Delaware Solid Waste Authority electronic goods
recycling drop-off locations and collection events
District of Columbia
Weekly e-cycling location and hours
Florida
Electronics recycling locations by type, county, or zip code
Georgia
Electronic recycling locations by city
Hawaii
Free e-waste recycling drop-off locations
Idaho
Guide to Recycling and Waste Management
Illinois
Residential e-waste collection sites listed by county
Indiana
E-Cycle Collectors by County
Iowa
List of certified collections facilities by city
Kansas
Map of recycling programs by type
Kentucky
E-scrap recyclers by county
Louisiana
E-recycling drop-off locations and events
Maine
Map of electronics recycling locations
Maryland
Permanent e-waste collection sites and programs
Massachusetts
Alphabetical list of municipal recycling programs
Michigan
2015 Registered Electronic Waste Recyclers
Minnesota
Registered collection sites for covered electronic devices
Mississippi
Recycling directory by city
Montana
Recycling locations and resources
Nebraska
Map of e-waste drop-off locations
Nevada
Electronic recycling locations by city
New Hampshire
List of recycling vendors by company
New Jersey
Consumer electronics recycling facilities
New Mexico
Electronic scrap recycling directory by type and county
New York
Registered e-waste recycling facilities
North Carolina
Electronic collection sites listed by county
North Dakota
Electronic recycling facilities by location
Oklahoma
Electronics recyclers directory
Oregon
Oregon E-Cycles collection sites
Pennsylvania
Electronics Recyclers permitted under General Permit WMGR081
Rhode Island
E-Waste collection locations by city/town
South Carolina
Electronic recycling opportunities by county
South Dakota
E-recycling locations by city
Tennessee
Electronic recycling locations by city
Texas
Electronic recycling locations by city
Utah
List of electronics recycling locations
Vermont
List of permanent free drop-off locations and one-day collection events registered by Vermont E-Cycles
Virginia
eCycling Services by county/locality
Washington
Washington’s 1 800 RECYCLE Database search
West Virginia
Electronic recycling directory by county and item
Wisconsin
E-Cycle Wisconsin registered collection sites by county