Safe and easy ways to recycle electronics

By Michael Taylor

Electronics can’t be recycled in your blue recycling cart. When electronics are placed in a blue cart, they often end up in landfills, creating environmental hazards. Electronics contain valuable materials like metals and plastics that can be reused to create new products, but only if recycled properly.  

Correctly recycling electronics makes an impact. Recycling one million cell phones can recover 18 tons of valuable materials like copper, silver and gold. And recycling one million laptops saves enough energy to power 3,500 U.S. homes in a year.

Austin Resource Recovery offers several options to recycle electronics safely and conveniently. Keep reading to find the method that works best for you. 

• Take them to the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center: The center recycled 420 tons of electronics in 2024! Staff carefully sort and bundle the items before shipping them to a third-party vendor where they’re disassembled and processed into raw materials for new products. The center is open by appointment only. Visit austintexas.gov/dropoff to schedule your visit.
• Schedule an on-demand bulk collection: Do you have several electronic devices you need to recycle? Take advantage of our new on-demand bulk collection service and we’ll come pick them up at your home. Visit austintexas.gov/ondemand to schedule your collection and review set-out guidelines.  
• Reuse/Repair fixable electronics: If your electronic devices still work or are repairable, visit AustinReuseDirectory.com, a resource to find businesses that accept donations or repair electronics. 

Thanks for doing your part to donate or recycle electronics correctly and keeping them out of the landfill. Your efforts will help Austin reach its goal of zero waste by 2040.