Background on E-Waste and E-Waste Recycling

Electronic waste (e-waste) consists of obsolete or broken electronics and electrical appliances. According to the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), most e-waste contains hazardous substances and 'exhibits the characteristics of toxicity' when disposed.

E-waste contains a variety of toxic substances, which may include lead, mercury and cadmium. When e-waste is disposed into landfills, these toxins can be released into the atmosphere or seep in through the land and have negative health and environmental effects. As a result, the DTSC has effectively banned the disposal of electronics in the solid waste stream. Despite this disposal ban, California may be continuing to dispose of as much as 500,000 tons of e-waste annually.

While California is among the first states to publicly acknowledge a disposal ban on hazardous electronic products, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has for years required states to regulate the handling of and prohibit the disposal of the toxic materials contained in most electronic devices.

E-waste is recyclable and when properly managed can be a source of valuable precious metals, such as copper, gold and zinc.

According to the U.S. EPA, about 70% of the toxic heavy metals found in landfills come from electronic waste. California's disposal ban is an obvious first step, but manufacturers and the state need to begin working together immediately to provide consumers and businesses with information and increased opportunities for recycling, while working on a phase out in the use of toxic materials in consumer electronics wherever possible.

More information:

E-Waste Recycling

Before deciding whether you want to recycle, consider the following:

  • selling it to a local pawn shop or online;

  • donating it to a local charity or school; or

  • handing it down to a friend or family member.

California Electronic Waste Recycling Act

In 2004 the state of California passed a law which requires retailers to collect an advanced recovery fee when a consumer purchases a new televisions or monitors. The fee is deposited in a fund managed by the state of California, which was created to finance recycling of unwanted electronics.

Top Resources:

  • Calrecycle's Electronic Recycling Locator - Drop-off locations for computers, laptops and other electronics.

  • Best Buy - Stores will accepts most cell phones, electronics, computers, televisions and ink cartridges and will take them at no charge. 

  • Call2Recycle- Recycle drop off locations for rechargeable batteries, single use batteries, and cell phones.

  • Digitunity - Connects you with local schools and non-profits with a need for used electronics. If your item still works, consider donating it to a local organization.

Computers and Laptops:

Most manufacturers will take back their products for free at the end-of-life.

  • Apple:  Apple offers free recycling of old computers, displays, and peripherals — cables, mice, keyboards, speakers, printers, scanners, media, hard drives, etc. — when you purchase a new Mac or monitor.

  • Dell: Recycle your old Dell products for free. If you buy a new Dell desktop or notebook and select the free recycling option at the time of purchase, they will recycle your old PC and monitor at no cost to you (even if it isn't a Dell-branded product).

  • Hewlett Packard (HP): HP recycles computer equipment, printing supplies, rechargeable batteries and other items, most for free.

  • IBM:  IBM offers solutions for the end-of-life management of computer equipment, printer supplies etc.

  • Lenovo: As part of its product end-of-life management activities, Lenovo offers consumers and/or commercial clients end-of-life management solutions for their computer equipment worldwide through voluntary programs and country programs in which Lenovo participates.

  • Panasonic: Panasonic offers free recycling of consumer electronics including Panasonic Toughbook notebooks.

  • Sony: Sony Electronics, in partnership with Waste Management Inc. offers the “Sony Take Back” program for post-consumer Sony electronics, a free program that accepts anything from cameras to televisions. Recycle up to five Sony products per day by dropping them off at designated Waste Management eCycling Drop-Off Centers throughout the country or mailing them in.

  • Toshiba:  Toshiba offers free recycling of all Toshiba notebooks, gigabeat® MP3 players and packaging as well as low-cost recycling options for other manufacturer laptops and consumer electronics products.

MP3 players

  • Apple: Apple’s free recycling program will take back your iPod or any cell phone regardless of manufacturer or model. You can bring your old iPod to an Apple Retail Store for 10 percent off a new one.

  • Sony:  As part of Sony's GreenFill program, consumers can drop off cameras, phones, portable music and gaming devices, digital photo frames, electronic assessories, GPS navigation, recorders and microphones, alarm clocks and small audio, and rechargeable batteries. Find the nearest Sony Greenfill location to you.

Televisions

  • MRM sites accept Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba and Mitsubishi, brand TVs and consumer electronics such as VCRs and DVDs at no charge.

  • Samsung-branded consumer electronics will be accepted at these locations for no fee. Non-SAMSUNG-branded consumer electronics will be accepted for a nominal fee paid directly to Samsung's contracted recycling partners upon delivery of the e-waste. Contact the location for appropriate fees. Click here for locations.

Toner and Inkjet Cartridges

  • Recycle Your Empty Toner and Inkjet Cartridges - For every item recycled through this program a donation is made to
    the Susan G. Komen Foundation. This organization is committed to eradicating breast cancer as a life threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment.

  • Cartridges for Kids is a recycling program that pays schools and non-profit organizations CA$H for: cell phones, laser & inkjet cartridges, laptops, iPods,
    and tablets/eReaders/notebooks.

  • Planet Green is an inkjet cartridge remanufacturing company based in Chatsworth, CA accepts used inkjet printer cartridges and cell phones, plus the company pays for shipping.

  • Retail drop off locations: Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples, and Office Max

  • Check our Retail drop off locations below to see which stores take back cartridges. 

  • Dell: Recycle your old Dell products for free. If you buy a new Dell desktop or notebook and select the free recycling option at the time of purchase, they will recycle your old PC and monitor at no cost to you (even if it isn't a Dell-branded product).

  • Epson: Epson has a recycling fee of $10 per item (includes shipping). Receive a $5 Epson Store coupon per item returned.

  • HP : Free recycling. Check inside cartridge boxes for return materials (available for some products and countries). 

  • Lexmark has collection programs that recycles inkjet and toner cartridges and hardware.

  • The Samsung Takeback and Recycling programme (STAR) is a free process for returning and recycling used printer cartridges. 

  • Canon has mail-in program that recycles certain Canon consumer products, including fax machines, PC copiers, printers, and scanners.

Printers

  • See every option for recycling your printer near you with the CalRecycle search tool.

  • Retail Drop Off Locations, listed below, include Best Buy and Staples.

  • For business sized used laser and dot matrix printers, SellYourPrinters.com will pay you to ship them your printer for reuse or recycling.

Retail Drop Off Locations: 

  • Best Buy: Every Best Buy store has free kiosks, just inside the door, for customers to drop off old cell phones, rechargeable batteries, and ink-jet cartridges at no cost. You can also trade-in select gently used electronics, including iPods, digital cameras and digital camcorders, for a Best Buy gift card by using the online estimator.  Best Buy will also remove an old obsolete television or appliances at no charge from a consumers' home when a new product is purchased and is being delivered to the home by Best Buy Home Delivery or installed by Geek Squad. (Note: Delivery is free only for appliances over $500). 

  • Staples:  Staples' recycling program covers everything from desktops, laptops and printers to peripherals like keyboards, mice and speakers, no matter the brand or where the equipment was purchased. You can take equipment to a Staples customer-service desk, and it's sent to a recycler that disassembles the equipment into its component parts. They also offer $2 in Staples Rewards toward a future purchase of ink or toner when HP, Lexmark™ or Dell cartridges are returned to their retail stores for recycling.

  • Office Max/Office Depot:  For every qualified ink cartridge and cell phone with battery returned to OfficeMax, customers earn a $2 reward in their MaxPerks account. Offers free recycling for cellphones, rechargeable batteries and ink & toner cartridges. Also offers three different sizes of boxes that you can load up with acceptable gadgets and drop off at any Office Depot store. They charge $5, $10 and $15 for its (small, medium, big) recycling boxes.

  • Sam's Club: Sam’s Club has a Trade in and Recycle program launched in April 2008 for MP3, Printers, Monitors, digital camera, laptops, camcorders, desktop, and Game systems but not cellphones!  Available only to Sam’s Club members. Has a “no export and no landfill” guarantee.

  • Apple: free recycling of any iPod or cellphone through prepaid mail ins. Apple also offers free recycling of old computers, displays, and peripherals — cables, mice, keyboards, speakers, printers, scanners, media, hard drives, etc. — when you purchase a new Mac or monitor.

Locate E-Waste Recycling Resources

Existing E-waste Recycling Opportunities in California

  • Cell Phones
    Thanks to AB 2901 (Pavley) Cell Phone Takeback and Recycling, as of July 1, 2006, any retailer that sells cell phones must also collect end-of-life cell phones at no charge to consumers. Additionally, several non-profit organizations provide cell phone recycling opportunities, including: Keep California Beautiful and Collective Good, where consumers can recycle and donate cell phones. Collective Good also gives the option of selecting the charity you would like to see benefit from your phone donation.

  • Local Household Hazardous Waste Facilities
    State law requires that most every community provide some level of opportunity for household hazardous waste collection. Generally, these are city or county run programs or facilities that offer regular or periodic opportunities for the drop off of HHWs, including hazardous electronics. Unfortunately, these programs are universally under-funded, and are therefore not always available. To find out what's available in your community, look in your local phonebook under Hazardous or Solid Waste. You may also find it by calling 1-800-Cleanup or going to www.earth911.org

  • Californians Against Waste
    For more information on E-waste and other solid waste and recycling issues, search this website. If you still have questions, feel free to contact us at (916) 443-5422.