When your cellphone, laptop, tablet, or other electronic device is no longer needed, what do you do with it? You can’t throw it in the trash, but it’s also not accepted for curbside recycling.

Many U.S. companies offer recycling programs that encourage people to recycle more electronics. It’s important, and we’ll help you find some of the best tech recycling incentives.

Why Electronics Recycling Is Essential

Electronics are made of plastic, glass, metals, and rare-earth minerals. Each of these is important for many reasons.

• Disposing of items containing arsenic, lead, and mercury in landfills introduces hazardous metals into the soil and water.
• It supports a circular economy.
• Plastics break down into smaller pieces, called microplastics, which enter the air, soil, and water and are ingested or inhaled by animals, people, and fish.
• Rare-earth minerals must be mined, which has environmental impacts.

Rare-earth minerals are found in smartphone screens, but there are many other recyclables. Here’s a breakdown of what you often find in a smartphone when it’s recycled properly.

• Aluminum in casings and batteries
• Cobalt in batteries
• Copper in wiring and batteries
• Glass in displays
• Gold in circuit boards
• Lithium in batteries
• Nickel in batteries
• Palladium in circuit boards
• Plastic in casings and wire coatings
• Platinum in circuit boards, sensors, and hard drives
• Silver in circuit boards
• Steel in casings, electromagnetic components, and screws

Types of Recycling Incentives Offered in the U.S.

Today’s consumer enjoys a range of tech incentives. You’ll find them on community pages, in school newsletters, or in manufacturer blogs.

• Buy-Back Services – Some sites pay cash for the devices you send to them. You may also find drop-off options, such as ecoATM, where you can get cash at the kiosk. Look for ecoATM at local malls or in some retailers. Be cautious when using this type of service. Make sure data security is part of the processing.
• Deposit Returns – If you received your device after placing a deposit, return it to the company to get your deposit back. T-Mobile and Verizon both offer programs in which you pay a security deposit and get it back after a set number of months.
• Donations – Donate your unused devices to a non-profit and use the value as a charitable tax deduction. You can bring devices to a nonprofit like Goodwill and receive a receipt for your donation.
• Recycling Challenges – While it won’t benefit you directly, some communities host tech recycling challenges. The funds raised go to community organizations, such as school field trip funds or community food banks.
• Take Back Programs – You don’t get money back with this option, but you don’t have to pay for shipping or a recycling fee. Print a postage-paid label and send your device back to the manufacturer.
• Trade-In Programs – Trade in your old devices when you purchase a new one. You get money back when the item arrives and is evaluated by the company. Apple, Best Buy, Google, and Staples offer trade-in programs.

A Comparison of Popular Tech Recycling Incentives

There are many tech recycling incentives available nationwide. Here are some of the programs with the highest ratings.

Amazon Trade-In – Get 20% off a new device when you trade in an older one. It includes e-readers, tablets, Fire TV sticks, and smart speakers. If you trade in a cell phone or video game system, you receive cash back in the form of an Amazon.com gift card. Amazon accepts devices from Amazon, Apple, Bose, Google, Samsung, Sony, and many others. Send them using a prepaid shipping label or drop them off at a location like Whole Foods.

Apple Trade-In – If you’re planning to purchase a device from the Apple Store, trade in your old device and any accessories. You’ll receive credit toward your purchase, whether you buy online or in a physical store. You get a trade-in estimate before you complete your purchase. If your device isn’t eligible for credit, recycling is free.

Costco/Phobio – Recycle Apple products online with Costco and get a Costco Shop Card in return. Enter the device model, answer questions about its condition, and receive an instant quote and a prepaid mailing label or box. You get the gift card when your Apple device is received and inspected.

Google Store Trade-In – Considering a Pixel or other Google tech product? Trade in your old device for a new one and get cash back as soon as the team has valued your device. I’ve used this service and ended up with $150 back on an older Pixel model. It matched the estimate perfectly.

Staples Trade-In – This program has been around for years and is incredibly easy to use. You can even use it to recycle old ink and toner cartridges. Bring your used tech to Staples and get cashback on your purchase. Easy Rewards members get 1,000 points when recycling tech for the first time.

Swappa – If you’re confident you can erase your data, Swappa is highly rated as a site for selling your tech that’s no longer useful to you but still has value. You can also use the trade-in program to get a discount on a used device. Follow the instructions for cleaning your device before you trade it in or list it.

Recycle Wisely for Your Protection

Your old phones, laptops, and other devices contain personal information that could be harmful in the wrong hands. Before recycling your tech, ensure your data is securely destroyed. A factory reset is a start, but there are better options.

• Backup Your Data – Before you do anything, save copies of your photos and files to an external hard drive or a cloud-based service. You don’t want to discover something is missing months later and have no way to get it back.
• Use Free Data Security Applications – Permanently erase data with free software such as Disk Wipe or KillDisk before handing over your device.
• Smash the Hard Drive – When all else fails, and you’re not 100% certain a recycler will protect your privacy, remove the hard drive and smash it with a hammer. You can then put the broken pieces back, and they’ll be recycled because they still contain metal.
• Partner With a Certified Recycler – Choose a program that ensures downstream vendors comply with e-Stewards and R2 policies. Ensure data destruction is part of the recycling process, and that electronics aren’t packed and shipped to a country that doesn’t prioritize protecting the community, workers, and the environment.

How do you find an electronics recycler you can trust? Start with the free listings on Recycle Nation. Enter what you have, and we’ll point you in the right direction. From there, ask who they use as downstream vendors. If they partner with certified recyclers, you don’t have to worry.