Recycle Electronic Waste & Earn Rewards
Advances in technology happen at an astounding rate. In fact, according to Moore’s Law, the processing power of computers doubles every two years! While this is excellent news for the breakthroughs in knowledge, new things that we can experience, and personal convenience, it also comes at a cost — our technology seems outdated rather quickly.
Electronic Recycling Centers
Global competition has made it cheap and easy to purchase new electronics — often, this is long before the old electronics stop working. These old electronics contain plastics and metals that can be recycled and hazardous waste that needs to be kept out of landfills and the environment.
Fortunately, many of the top electronics brands have funded electronic recycling centers and electronic recycling programs to incentivize recycling! Learn more below about how to recycle your electronics and earn discounts and gift cards while responsibly disposing of e-waste.
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How to Recycle Old Electronics
Modern lives include lots of electronic devices, but unfortunately, not all of them are designed to live forever. When an electronic device is no longer useful, it can be challenging to know how to properly and safely dispose of it.
What is Electronic Waste Recycling?
Electronic waste recycling separates and safely extracts components in electronics for future use in new products. The recycling process keeps items out of landfills and keeps toxic elements from contaminating the environment.
These electronic recycling programs help make recycling easy — either with rewarding incentives to recycle or convenient and free recycling options.
Recycle Electronics for Rewards
Electronic Waste Recycling
These great programs make recycling easy by offering rewards when you return old electronics for recycling.
- Advance Auto Parts: recycle automobile, golf, marine, or light truck batteries and receive a $10 store gift card (see details)
- free additional program to recycle used motor oil
- free (refundable deposit required) tool loaner program (see details)
- Best Buy: recycle consumer electronics from any brand and receive a gift card based on value of items and/or a % discount (see details)
- Get 15% off a new modem, router, gateway and In-Home Wi-Fi Setup service for recycling a modem, router, or modem/router combo (in-store only through 12/31/22)
- Get 20% off of Amazon EReaders for trade-in of any working Amazon Ereader (in-store only)
- Get 10% off of a WD or SanDisk Professional hard drive for recycling an HDD or SSD (in-store only through 1/23/23)
- Get $30 or $50 off select Epson printers for recycling any printer (in-store only)
- Get $30 or $50 off select Epson scanners for recycling any scanner (in-store only)
- Best Buy Totaltech members get 10% off a new smart doorbell, security camera, or smart lock for recycling any of these devices
- Eva NYC: recycle hair tools and appliances from Eva NYC brand and receive 100 TerraCycle points per pound (see details)
- Office Depot: recycle electronics and ink cartridges
- recycle electronic items and receive store credit based on value of items
- recycle ink cartridges and receive rewards based on the number of items returned (see details)
- Staples: recycle electronics, rechargeable batteries, and ink and toner cartridges
- receive $2 in rewards per ink and toner cartridge returned (see details)
Sell or Trade In Old Electronics
Recycling Computers for Cash and Trading In for Credit
Of course, just because you stopped using your old electronics doesn’t always mean that they don’t still have usable life left in them. You may be able to sell electronics that are no longer used for cash or for store credits.
These e-waste recycling for cash options are great when you are ready to upgrade your devices and would like to clear out old tech products that are still in usable condition. Many places can provide instant online quote estimates for your electronics — it’s never been easier to recycle old cell phones for cash (plus cameras, TVs, drones, and more)!
- Adorama: recycle photography and video equipment, computers, audio gear, musical instruments, optics, drones, + more and receive store credit based on value of items
- Amazon: recycle small consumer electronics and receive store credit based on value of items (see details)
- Apple: recycle any products from Apple brand and receive store credit based on value of items
- AT&T: recycle small consumer electronics and receive store credit based on value of items
- B&H: recycle camera and camera gear and receive cash or store credit based on value of items
- decluttr: recycle books, CDs, DVDs, consoles, video games, cell phones, tech products and receive cash payment based on value of items
- Dell: recycle computer hardware and peripherals from any brand and receive store credit based on value of items (see details)
- GameStop: recycle electronics and games and receive cash or store credit based on value of items
- PowerUp Rewards Pro Members get 10% extra in value on most items
- Gazelle: recycle electronics and receive cash based on value of items
- gizmogo: recycle cameras and electronics and receive cash based on value of items
- HP: recycle electronics and other items from HP brand and receive store credit based on value of items
- Microsoft: recycle tablets, phones, laptops, and game consoles and receive cash based on value of trade ins (see details)
- Sprint / T-Mobile: recycle electronic devices and receive store credit based on value of items
- note that this program may change as Sprint and T-Mobile companies are merging
- Verizon: recycle phones, tablets, and wearable tech and receive store credit based on value of items (see details)
- Walmart: recycle electronics from any brand and receive gift cards based on value of items (see details)
Free Electronic Recycling
Free Electronic Recycling
While no points or monetary incentives are given with these free electronic recycling programs, you can rest easy knowing that your e-waste does not end up in landfills or polluting the environment. These free e-waste recycling programs are open to everyone, plus the programs have recycle electronics locations across the US!
- Batteries Plus: recycle batteries, lighting, and small electronics (availability varies by store)
- Canon: recycle ink cartridges from Canon brand
- Epson: recycle hardware from Epson brand in end-of-life condition (see details)
- Epson supports a free-of-charge toner cartridge collection program for its AcuLaser CX11N Series cartridges
- Home Depot: recycle batteries, compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, plastic bags, and plastic plant pots in most stores
- Lowe’s: recycle batteries, CFL bulbs, plastic bags, plastic plant pots, and cell phones in most stores (see details)
- Samsung: recycle small electronic devices from any brand (see details)
- Samsung brand products up to 50 pounds may also be mailed in for free recycling via OEM Takeback
- Sony: recycle electronic products and batteries from Sony brand (see details)
- Xerox: recycle copy and print supplies from Xerox brand
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In addition to all the great places where you can be rewarded for recycling electronic waste items, be sure to check out more places where you can earn rewards for recycling:
Vintage Electronic Radios on Shelf
Thank you for sharing and saving!
Recycling centers that deal with this type of recycling are precisely the places where electrical waste is broken down into its constituent parts and where hazardous components that are harmful to human health and the environment are separated from them. However, according to unofficial estimates, more than half of the electrical and electronic waste that could go for recycling still ends up in illegal flows.
Hi Bojana, it can be challenging for some people to recycle when it seems easier to just throw away electronics. Hopefully, ewaste recycling programs like these will help encourage habits that are better for the environment!
Awesome! Thanks for this article, I never knew that I could actually do that! I still have some old iPhones lying around at home because I didn’t want to throw them away, they were just too expensive for that haha! Didn’t really want to sell them either because who’s gonna buy an iPhone 3 or 4? Never knew that I could get gift cards instead! Thanks for sharing, definitely going to take advantage of that 😊
Hi Sandro, I hope you end up with something that will get more use than those old iphones! Enjoy!!
Thanks for sharing this wonderful information. The world is evolving and there and nothing is going as waste anymore. It’s nice to see how these brands and shops are sitting effort into recycling which will reduce waste and pollution of the environment. Advance Auto part is one I can make use of at moment due to a large number of spare parts in my store that are not in use. I hope to utilize this offer.
Hi Alyce,
Thanks for the article I enjoyed it. I found your article highly uplifting and educational.
Every one wants to sell something via their blog posts and it will cost us money. However, your article is saving us money which is amazing. We have loads of electronic items in our house which is occupying 5 shelves. Old computer monitors, mobile phones, video games, 3 TV’s, etc.
This article is an eye-opener for me and I can tell you I have taken some great insights from this article. I am bookmarking your article for future references.
Thank you for taking the time to do this.
Hi Paul, Thanks so much for the encouragement and for the bookmark!
I have had ATT for almost ten years and did not know they had this program partly because I just have autopay and never have to worry about anything. I will be taking advantage of this though! I have at least four different phones that I know longer use.. Do you know if they take several at one time?
Hi Jessie, It’s great to hear that you can take advantage of phone recycling for so many phones! I do believe that you can submit more than one, but those policies can change often so be sure to contact them directly to know for sure.
It’s nice knowing your old devices does not need to be thrown way when they are no longer in us. Truly these things can be unsafe to the environment and the need for recycling is essential. Now the brands you have listed that offer these recycling activities are some of the most popular ones you see in almost every household. The amazon gift card that is given out, how do they place worth on the cards?
Hi Benson, the value of the cards is going to correlate with the value of what is recycled. It’s nice to get a reward for recycling electronic waste while also keeping it from polluting the environment.
Wow this is great I needed to doing something with my old tech. I just have all of my old tech just sitting around somehwere I didn’t realize that I could get anything out of it. I have been trading in old iphone’s to get money off my next one but I didn’t realize that applied to so much more of my old equipment.
It is surprising at just how many innovative ways there are to recycle items like electronic waste!
Thanks for this informative article, I honestly didn’t know I could trade my old electronics for cash of gift cards, and most amazingly I’ve got a whole lot of electronics from my dad and grandma that I was looking forward to disposing them earlier on but this article has indeed changed my perspective. I’m instead going to recycle these electronics to earn money in return. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome! Good to know that the toxic parts will stay out of the environment and that you will earn a bit of money for your trouble!!
I loved this post and have bookmarked it so I can check and recycle my electronic devices as they get replaced and get rewarded for doing so. The idea behind it makes too much sense, as we all seek to waste less and help keep the environment clean for the next generations.
To tell you the truth, I had no idea that so many companies had started such programs but I sure am glad they have. There are many options these days to make sure that you can help keep the earth cleaner. It also makes sense from a resource aspect, as many of the parts can be reused in new equipment.
Do you prefer one program over another? I am in Dubai, so some of these options are not available here, but some are. I will definitely use the service now that I know about them. Thanks for the heads up, great subject and post. Recycling of electronics and everything else is an idea whose time has come.
Hi Dave, I’m a big fan of finding ways to reuse things when possible, so I’d probably start with ways to sell the items to someone else who can use them. If your old items are truly obsolete, then I’d choose a place to recycle where you already like to shop (for me that might be Best Buy or Amazon).
I have a shed full of out-of-order electronics and I was thinking about throwing everything out sometime next weekend.
Thank God I came across your article right now because I might be able to actually get something out of all this useless junk.
I bookmarked your website to check it in more detail later although I am already aware that I will be able to recycle a couple of old mobile phones, a couple of Apple iPads, as well as a huge LG TV.
Thanks a lot!
How fantastic! I hope you find the programs easy to use and can earn a little money while clearing out your shed!
Wow, I’m overwhelmed with joy that I came across this post just around this time. I and my wife just moved to a new apartment and it’s kind if smaller in size to our former one and as such there’s need for us to dispose most of our gadgets that won’t fit in to the new house rather than let them lay waste around. This is an excellent means for me to cash in on some of them and hopefully they are of very good values. Indeed, technology is the game changer
The rate of improvements in technology is mind-boggling! Thanks for finding responsible ways to clear out your old gadgets — I hope you both love your new home!!
Thank you for this article. I have been attempting to purge things in my home and came across two laptops. I didnt know what to do with them and so they went back into the closet.
I think I need to some more research in my community to see if there is a place that I can take them. I often wonder before there were these places to recycle all of our electronics, what has ever happened to it all? The landfills I suppose but what a shame! Thank goodness we are moving forward in this regard.
The other benefit of these recycling programs is that they will “sanitize” your devices and remove personal information before reusing or recycling the parts… a very important service when you’re dealing with old laptops!
Hi, Alyce.
Wow! Am I glad I stumbled across your post. I have various types of electric devices that are just sitting around my place and I have been wondering how I can get rid of them. An, hey, if I can make a few dollars in the process, so much the better.
I’ll have to check Best Buy Canada and see if they have the same thing going on as you do in the States. I think they probably do. It would certainly be worth checking it out.
Staples, Dell, Walmart, Samsung and more are all here in Canada. There are just so many ways to get rid of our old technology that I didn’t know about.
Thank you for making up this list (I’m betting there are more). I am definitely going to check out some of these. Recycling has come a long way and we need to do our part to improve our environmental footprint.
If I might add one note. Anyone wanting to recycle their old electronics should make sure they delete all sensitive files and information from them before handing them over.
Thanks again, Alyce.
Wayne
Hi Wayne, you bring up a good point about taking care of sensitive data on old devices. Fortunately, many of the recyclers will wipe all personal data before recycling the devices!
I always feel like if I bring my old device back to the same company, they are just gonna screw me over and pay me pennies for some tech that is worth way more. On the other hand, I would probably forget it, or have it collect dust somewhere in my house so I guess this is the better alternative.
Hi Ibrahim, It’s probably best to shop around to get the top dollar for your old devices to get the best deal. Fortunately, you can see that you have a lot of options to choose from, and the competition should help ensure that you get a great price for your old device!
This article awakens me. I have not disposed of any electronic items over 25 years and they are all lying in my basement. I was worried about mother earth.
Now the knowledge from this article will help me dispose of with or without benefits all my stuff.
What a wonderful thought expressed in this article with benefits. I am sure it is a lot of research done to put it together. This site will help everyone. Thank you.
Hi Anusuya, I believe you are in good company. There are many of us who have been holding on to old electronics in order to safeguard our data and find ways to dispose of these items properly. I’m glad this helps!
The recycling process actually makes it very convenient for all of us. I heard from my friend that the Amazon Trade-In Program offers gift cards in exchange for eligible items from customers. This is really a wonderful way. Because things can play a good role in some updates. This method is very convenient we can easily adapt this method.
Thank you for sharing good information.
I’m glad to hear that your friend has used the Amazon program with success!
Your blog on Best Reward Program, Recycle Your Electronic Waste & Earn Rewards is an eyeopener for me as it enlightened me that a lot of companies, big ones are giving schemes to recycle electronic products and it’s shocking that the production of electronic gadgets, etc. double every year as per Moore’s Law! the problem is exacerbated by how soon an electronic item gets obsolete or outdated… Companies like Apple, Walmart, Amazon, Dell, HP, and dozens more are giving different sort of scheme for people who are selling the old gadgets for recycling in exchange for monetary considerations, discounts, gift vouchers, discounts and points which lead to a cheaper purchase of new one. A great win-win strategy for companies and consumers.
Sometime people need a little push to help them do the right thing like safely dispose of electronic waste… these programs can only help!