There's no real reason to throw away your old laptop, desktop, or printer when there are so many ways to responsibly recycle it for free and sometimes with store credit. In some states, including California, throwing them away is actually illegal and can result in hefty fines. Additionally, disposing of such items is as easy as dropping them off at major retailers such as Best Buy, OfficeMax, Office Depot, and Staples.
This is also a necessary habit. Consumers around the world throw away about five times as many devices as they get recycled, according to a new report from the United Nations.
read more: Why our gadgets aren't recycled enough and how you can help
No matter where you drop off or mail your items for recycling, you should ensure that your data is protected by deleting as much data as possible before you do so. One way to do this is to factory reset your computer. Our guide will walk you through the process.
Some retailers accept computers and printers for recycling, but it's not always a free service. Policies vary by company.
apple
You can recycle old Apple computers, monitors, printers, and other peripherals for free at Apple Stores, but there's a catch: It costs money. According to the Apple Free Recycling program, you must also purchase an eligible Apple computer or monitor to receive this service. Need another option? A third-party company called Gazelle buys and recycles old MacBooks. After accepting Gazelle's offer, print a prepaid label or request a prepaid box to send the machine.
read more: Mobile phone and laptop repairs are becoming mainstream thanks to iFixit's strong push
best buy
Best Buy typically accepts up to three household items per person per day for free recycling, including desktop computers, printers, and other items from e-readers to vacuum cleaners. Masu. Three is the limit for most items, but laptops have an even higher standard, with Best Buy planning to purchase five per household per day. Please note that the rules regarding returning the monitor vary by state and are not always free.
Best Buy also offers mail-in recycling services for some items, but again, it's not free. Small boxes up to 6 pounds cost $23 and large boxes (up to 15 pounds) cost $30.
office depot and office max
Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013. The retailer offers a technology trade-in program both in-store and online, where customers can get store gift cards in exchange for old computers or printers. If your device doesn't have a trade-in value, the company will recycle it for free.
Office Depot also sells its own high-tech recycling boxes that you can fill with electronics to recycle and bring them to the store, but they're not free. The small box costs $8.39 and can hold up to 20 pounds. The medium one costs $18.29 and holds up to 40 pounds. The larger one costs $28 and holds up to 60 pounds.
staples
You can bring your old desktop computer, laptop, printer, etc. to the checkout counter at Staples and have it recycled for free, even if you didn't buy it there. The retailer also installed new free home battery recycling boxes, which will help customers recycle thousands of batteries per week, up from an average of 50 per week, according to a representative. The battery that was there has increased. Here's a complete list of everything you can recycle at Staples.
Read more: How to factory reset your MacBook, Windows laptop, or Chromebook
If you don't live near a major retailer or would like to take your computer or printer to a recycling center, you can find a location near you using the search tools provided by Earth911 and the Consumer Technology Association.
earth 911
Use Earth911's recycling center locator to find recycling centers near your zip code that accept laptops, desktops, and printers. As a result, you may also see places where mobile phones are accepted rather than computers or printers, so you may need to do a bit of filtering.
CTA's eco-friendly gadgets
Contact the Consumer Technology Association's Greener Gadgets Recycle Locator to find a local recycling center in your area that will take your old items. You can also use the search feature to filter results to find specific locations for computers and printers.
