Electronics donation and recycling

Recycling and Donation Resources

• Call2Recycle
• Earth911
• Electronic Industries Alliance
• GreenerGadgets 

Electronics donation and recycling is a great way to help conserve resources and natural materials. It is important to make sure you are donating and/or recycling electronics safely and correctly.

Why donate or recycle electronics

Electronic products are made from valuable resources and materials, including metals, plastics, and glass, all of which require energy to mine and manufacture. Donating or recycling consumer electronics conserves our natural resources and avoids air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing virgin materials.

For example:

• Recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by more than 3,500 U.S. homes in a year.
• For every one million cell phones we recycle, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered.

Before donating or recycling your used electronics

• For your computer or laptop, consider upgrading the hardware or software instead of buying a brand new product.
• Delete all personal information from your electronics.
• Remove any batteries from your electronics; they may need to be recycled separately.
• Check for recycling facilities in your state or community.

Disclaimer: These sites are listed for informational purposes only. US EPA does not endorse any of these entities nor their services.

—Information from United States Environmental Protection Agency