Knowing how to recycle electronics starts with one rule from the US Environmental Protection Agency: lithium-ion batteries and the devices that contain them should not go in household garbage or recycling bins. Everything else follows from that.
This guide covers what e-waste is, how to prepare a device, where it can go and what the regulators say. It sits alongside the wider gadget buying guide, which treats longevity and disposal as part of choosing a device.
What counts as e-waste
The Global E-waste Monitor, produced by the International Telecommunication Union and UNITAR, defines e-waste as any discarded product with a plug or battery. That covers phones, laptops, chargers, headphones, game controllers, cables, smart speakers and small kitchen appliances. It also covers the drawer of devices that no longer work or are simply no longer used.
The scale is large. The same report found that a record 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced worldwide in 2022 and that the total is on track to reach 82 million tonnes in 2030, according to its latest edition. It also found that only 22.3% of the 2022 total was documented as properly collected and recycled. The rest was either landfilled, burned, reused informally or never tracked.
E-waste matters for two reasons. Devices contain materials that are hazardous if handled badly, and they also contain metals that can be recovered. A 2006 estimate from the US Geological Survey, repeated on the EPA electronics donation and recycling page, is that for every million cell phones recycled, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered. The figure is old, and phone designs have changed, but it shows why recycling is more than a tidy-up exercise.
Prepare the device before it leaves your hands
Preparation protects your data and avoids battery problems. The order matters, because wiping a device before its contents are safely copied elsewhere cannot be undone.
Copy what you want to keep
Google’s Android help advises that you should only clear data after you have confirmed that everything has been copied to the new device. Check photos, messages, authenticator apps and saved files before deleting anything. Transferring data is a separate step that should be finished and checked first.
Erase and reset
The EPA tells donors and recyclers to delete all personal information from their electronics. Google’s guidance for Android phones says to clear your data and reset the device to factory settings before you recycle, donate or trade it in. Manufacturers publish their own steps for signing out of accounts and removing activation locks, so check the maker’s support page for your model.
Handle batteries and accessories
The EPA advises removing batteries where that is possible, noting that they may need to be recycled separately. On its lithium-ion battery page, the agency adds that you can tape battery terminals or place batteries in separate plastic bags to prevent fires. Sealed phones and earbuds cannot be opened safely at home, so they go to a collection point whole.
Why lithium-ion batteries need separate handling
Most portable gadgets now run on lithium-ion cells, from phones and laptops to power banks and action cameras. The EPA explains that if a battery or a device containing one is placed in the trash or a municipal recycling bin, it may become damaged or crushed in transport or sorting, creating a fire hazard. Those bins are designed for paper, glass and plastic, not for energy-dense cells.
The same page says lithium-ion batteries should be taken to separate recycling or household hazardous waste collection points.
Small devices that contain batteries are easy to forget. Action cameras are a typical example, and the action camera basics article explains what these compact devices contain. Their battery packs and any spares belong in battery collection rather than the household bin.
Choosing where the device goes
There are four broad routes for an unwanted gadget, and the right one depends on its condition.
- Reuse or donation. A working device can be passed to family, donated or sold. The EPA notes that for a computer, upgrading hardware or software can be an alternative to buying a new one.
- Manufacturer or retailer take-back. Many makers and shops accept old devices. Terms differ by country and brand, so check the current programme.
- Municipal or community collection. Local events and drop-off sites accept small electronics and batteries.
- Certified recyclers. Businesses that process devices commercially can be audited against recognised standards.
On certification, the EPA states that it encourages all electronics recyclers to become certified by demonstrating to an accredited, independent third-party auditor that they meet specific standards. The agency says two accredited standards currently exist: R2 and e-Stewards. Both require the destruction of all data on used electronics, which is relevant for anyone handing over a phone or laptop. Checking whether a recycler holds one of these certifications is a practical way to separate formal operators from informal collectors.
Before discarding a drawer of leads, it can help to read the usb4 vs thunderbolt explainer, which shows how to tell a high-capability cable from a basic one and which may be worth keeping.
What the rules say in the EU and the US
Regulation varies by region. In the European Union, the European Commission explains that the recast Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive entered into force on 13 August 2012. It requires the separate collection and proper treatment of e-waste and sets targets for collection, recovery and recycling. The Commission reports that 5 million tonnes of e-waste were collected in the EU in 2022.
In the United States, the EPA page directs readers to check for recycling facilities in their state or community, so the local authority’s waste page is the dependable reference for what is accepted nearby.
A short checklist before drop-off
A simple order of operations keeps the process safe. First, confirm that photos, messages, authentication apps and files exist somewhere else. Second, sign out of cloud accounts and remove any device lock tied to your identity. Third, erase the device and reset it to factory settings. Fourth, take out memory cards, SIM cards and removable batteries if the design allows it. Fifth, bag or tape battery terminals as the EPA suggests and keep damaged or swollen batteries apart from other items.
Finally, look up the receiving site’s rules. Local authority and retailer websites usually list accepted items, and the manufacturer’s support page is the place to confirm anything specific to a particular model.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put an old phone in the household bin?
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No. The EPA says lithium-ion batteries and devices containing them should not go in household garbage or recycling bins, because damage during transport or sorting can create a fire hazard.
Do I need to wipe a phone before recycling it?
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Yes. Both the EPA and Google advise deleting personal information, and Google specifically advises resetting an Android device to factory settings once your data is safely copied elsewhere.
What is a certified electronics recycler?
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It is a recycler audited by an accredited third party against a recognised standard. The EPA names R2 and e-Stewards as the two accredited standards that currently exist.
How much e-waste is actually recycled?
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The Global E-waste Monitor found that 22.3% of the e-waste generated in 2022 was documented as properly collected and recycled.
