Rules
How to Recycle Old Electronics Safely: US State Rules and Drop-off Options
How to recycle old electronics safely: US state e-waste laws, EPA-certified recyclers, Best Buy and Staples drop-off, and data wiping steps.
What to take away
- Most US e-waste rules come from state agencies, not a single federal law.
- The EPA names certified electronics recycler standards R2 and e-Stewards.
- Wipe devices before recycling and keep a receipt or data destruction certificate.
- Best Buy and Staples run in-store drop-off programs for many household electronics.
The federal floor and named regulators
The US Environmental Protection Agency sets the federal floor under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. It exempts most household electronics from hazardous waste rules unless they contain items like leaded glass or certain batteries.
The EPA maintains a list of certified electronics recyclers and encourages donation and recycling through its electronics page. The EPA electronics donation and recycling page names R2 and e-Stewards as recognized certification standards.
To find a local facility, open the EPA electronics page, follow the link to certified recyclers, and filter by state or postal code. Each listing names the certification the site holds, so you can confirm R2 or e-Stewards before you drive over. Call ahead to confirm the site takes your device type.
A recycler holding one of these certifications has been audited for safe handling and data security. The Electronic waste overview describes how certified facilities separate metals and manage hazardous fractions.
Who has jurisdiction
State environmental agencies enforce most e-waste disposal rules. About half of US states have product stewardship laws that require manufacturers to fund collection programs.
California, New York, and Minnesota each run programs with different covered devices and drop-off requirements. Local counties and municipalities may add their own household hazardous waste collection events.
For batteries, battery safety rules may apply when a swollen or damaged cell is involved. The EPA keeps jurisdiction over interstate hazardous waste shipments and certain cathode ray tube glass.
How to recycle a device step by step
How to recycle a device
- Back up what you want to keep, then sign out of every account.
- Remove SIM cards, memory cards, and any external media.
- Wipe the device. Factory reset a phone or tablet, and use a full erase rather than a quick format on a hard drive.
- Pick an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler, or a retailer drop-off point.
- Ask for a receipt or a data destruction certificate, and file it.
Retailer drop-off receipts from Best Buy or Staples usually confirm the item count and date, but they may not include data destruction unless you ask for a certificate. Some state privacy laws still apply to cloud backups after a device fails, so deauthorize old devices from your accounts.
Wipe Before You Recycle
- Sign out of all accounts
- Remove SIM and memory cards
- Run a factory reset
- Full-erase hard drives, not quick format
- Deauthorize old devices from accounts
Records to keep after recycling
Keep these records for at least three years after recycling:
Records to keep
- The drop-off receipt or confirmation, with its date.
- The recycler's R2 or e-Stewards certificate or certification number.
- The date and location of the drop-off.
- A list of the devices you handed over, by make and model.
Records to Keep Three Years
- Drop-off receipt or certificate of recycling
- Photograph of device serial numbers
- Signed data destruction certificate, if offered
- Written confirmation accounts signed out and storage wiped
For businesses, the retention period may be longer under cloud storage privacy and state data breach rules. A clear record shows due diligence if a device later turns up in a breach.
What happens if you do not
State environmental agencies can issue citations and fines for illegal disposal of covered electronics. In California, a business that dumps old CRT monitors or televisions can be penalized under hazardous waste control law.
Repeated violations can result in higher penalties and cleanup orders. A landlord or property manager who places e-waste in a regular dumpster may be cited by the city or county. These penalties apply even when the device was not the property owner's personal item.
Drop-off options at retailers and county sites
Best Buy accepts up to three household electronics per day per household: TVs, computers, phones. Staples runs an in-store program for office electronics, ink, and batteries. County household hazardous waste days often take items that stores turn away, such as damaged batteries and older televisions.
Where the rules differ by state
Where the rules differ
Covered devices
- California
- Video displays, some portable electronics
- New York
- Computers, peripherals, televisions
- Minnesota
- Video displays, some electronics
- Illinois
- Computers, monitors, televisions
- Maine
- Computers, televisions, printers
- Oregon
- Computers, monitors, televisions
- Vermont
- Computers, televisions, peripherals
- Washington
- Computers, monitors, televisions
Drop-off requirement
- California
- Retailer takeback at point of sale
- New York
- Manufacturer-funded collection sites
- Minnesota
- County collection programs
- Illinois
- Manufacturer-funded collection sites
- Maine
- Municipal collection sites
- Oregon
- Free drop-off through Oregon E-Cycles
- Vermont
- Free drop-off at collection sites
- Washington
- Free drop-off through E-Cycle Washington
The table shows eight of the roughly half of US states with product stewardship laws. Each program sets its own covered devices and drop-off rules.
The EPA page links to state programs and certified recycler directories, and Massachusetts and New York right-to-repair laws affect how a shop can replace a battery. A recycler must follow those same rules if it removes a battery before shredding.
