Look, we have all acquired that “shelf of disgrace” within the closet-a graveyard of historical laptops, tangled energy bricks, and printers that have not seen an ink cartridge since 2019. In 2026, letting this e-waste rot in your own home is not only a hoarding drawback; it is a safety danger and an enormous waste of sources. Most individuals assume that recycling tech requires a visit to a hazardous waste facility in the midst of nowhere, however the actuality is far much less of a headache.
Main retailers like Greatest Purchase and Staples have mainly turn into the drop-off hubs on your digital junk. You may actually stroll right into a retailer with a useless PC or a clunky previous scanner and hand it over totally free, no matter the place you acquire it. A few of these locations will even throw you a bone-like a reduction on new gear or a trade-in credit-just for serving to them reclaim the heavy metals and plastics that do not belong in a landfill. It is the simplest method to reclaim your space for storing with out feeling like a jerk for tossing electronics within the trash.
The one actual “work” in your finish is ensuring you are not handing over your total life together with the {hardware}. Earlier than you dump a tool, it is advisable do a official knowledge wipe-not simply “dragging recordsdata to the trash can.” A ten-minute manufacturing facility reset or a devoted drive-scrubbing device ensures your previous tax returns and saved passwords do not turn into another person’s property. Cease appearing like you are going to “repair” that laptop computer from 2015 and let an expert recycler break it down for components as an alternative.
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What to do earlier than you recycle your previous pc
Wherever you’re taking or mail in your objects to be recycled, you will wish to shield your data by eradicating it as greatest you’ll be able to. A method to do that is to carry out a manufacturing facility reset in your pc. Our guide walks you thru the method.
The place to recycle your previous printers and computer systems
Some retail shops will settle for computer systems and printers for recycling, nevertheless it’s not at all times a free service. Insurance policies range by firm.
Apple
You may recycle your previous Apple computer systems, monitors and peripherals, reminiscent of printers, totally free at an Apple retailer, however there is a pricey catch. In accordance with the Apple Free Recycling program, you could buy a qualifying Apple computer or monitor to obtain this service. Want another choice? A 3rd-party firm known as Gazelle buys previous MacBooks to recycle them. After accepting Gazelle’s provide, you print a pay as you go label or request a pay as you go field and ship the machine to them.
Learn extra: Phone and Laptop Repair Goes Mainstream With Push From iFixit
Greatest Purchase
Greatest Purchase typically accepts as much as three home goods per household per day to be recycled totally free, together with desktop computer systems and printers, in addition to different objects starting from e-readers to vacuum cleaners. Whereas three is the restrict for many objects, there is a greater restrict for laptops — Greatest Purchase will take 5 of these per family per day. Notice that guidelines for dropping off displays range by state, and it is not at all times free to take action. Greatest Purchase additionally affords a mail-in recycling service for choose objects, however that is additionally not free. A small field that holds as much as 6 kilos prices $23, whereas a big field (as much as 15 kilos) prices $30. One CNET editor just lately lugged in an previous, nonworking tube TV-VCR combo for e-cycling, and was joyful to pay $30 to be rid of it.
Workplace Depot
Workplace Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013. The retailers provide a tech trade-in program each in-store and on-line, the place you could possibly get a retailer reward card in trade on your previous computer systems and printers. If the gadget has no trade-in worth, the corporate will recycle it totally free. Workplace Depot additionally sells e-waste recycling packing containers you could fill with electronics to be recycled after which drop off on the shops, however they are not free. The small packing containers cost $8.39 and maintain as much as 20 kilos, the medium ones cost $18.29 and maintain as much as 40 kilos, and the big packing containers cost $28 and maintain as much as 60 kilos.
Staples
You may deliver your previous desktop computer systems, laptops, printers and extra to the Staples checkout counter to be recycled totally free, even when they weren’t bought there. In accordance with a Staples rep, the retailer additionally has a free at-home battery recycling field, which has led clients to recycle 1000’s of batteries per week, up from an earlier common of fifty per week. Here is an inventory of everything that may be recycled at Staples.
Watch this: Give Your Previous Cellphone a Second Life: The Proper Option to Recycle and Reuse It
The place to seek out electronics recycling facilities
For those who do not dwell close to a significant retailer or would fairly take your computer systems and printers to a recycling middle, you’ll be able to find locations close to you by utilizing search instruments supplied by Earth911 and the Client Know-how Affiliation.
Earth911
Use the recycling middle search function on Earth911 to seek out recycling facilities close to your ZIP code that settle for laptops, desktops and printers. Notice that the outcomes may additionally flip up locations that settle for mobile phones and never computer systems or printers, so you will have to perform a little filtering.
Greener Devices
Seek the advice of the Client Know-how Affiliation’s Greener Devices Recycle Locator to seek out native recycling facilities in your space that can take previous objects. The search operate additionally lets you filter the outcomes to individually hunt for locations that take computer systems versus printers.
