Use local e-waste recycling programs and retailer take-back

Most communities and major retailers offer dedicated collection points for unwanted electronics and batteries. Search your city or county website for "e-waste recycling" or "household hazardous waste" to find drop-off locations and collection events. Retailers like Best Buy and Staples accept old electronics in-store.

Steps

1. Locate your nearest municipal e-waste drop-off or scheduled collection event through your local government website.
2. Check retailer recycling programs — many accept cables, small electronics, and rechargeable batteries at no cost.
3. Use Call2Recycle.org to find battery-specific drop-off bins at hardware and grocery stores.
4. Before recycling phones or computers, back up your data and perform a factory reset to wipe personal information.
5. Tape over the contacts of loose lithium-ion batteries before dropping them off to prevent short circuits.

Tips

• Never place batteries or electronics in regular household trash or curbside recycling — lithium-ion batteries can cause fires in waste trucks and sorting facilities.
• Many retailers limit accepted items by size or type, so check their website before making the trip.