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See, we all have a “graveyard” closet full of old laptops and tangled printer cables because no one wants to deal with the hassle of disposing of them properly. But in 2026, leave Computers And other technologies that are not just a waste of space; It’s a missed opportunity to do the bare minimum for the planet without spending a dime. Most people assume they need to find a specialized government facility, but the reality is much more convenient.
Retail giants like Best Buy and Staples have turned into unofficial dump sites for the digital age. You can literally walk in with a dead PC or old inkjet printer and have it delivered free of charge, no questions asked, no matter where you originally purchased it. Some of these stores will offer you a gift card or discount on new gear just to get rid of the clutter. It’s a win-win: you get your storage space back, and they keep heavy metals out of your local landfill.
Before handing it over, just make sure you don’t hand over your entire digital identity with the devices. A quick factory reset or professional “drive wipe” takes 10 minutes and ensures your old tax returns don’t fall into the wrong hands. Stop hoarding the ghosts of past technology and let these retailers handle the dirty work of tearing it apart.
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What you should do before recycling your old computer
Wherever you take or send your items for recycling, they’ll need protection Your data By removing it as best you can. One way to do this is to perform a factory reset on your computer. our Guide walks you through this process.
Where can you recycle old printers and computers?
Some retail stores accept recycling of computers and printers, but it is not always a free service. Policies vary by company.
apple
You can recycle old Apple computers, Observers And peripherals, like printers, are free in the Apple Store, but there’s a costly catch. According to Apple Free Recycling programYou must purchase an eligible Apple device Computer Or monitor to receive this service. Need another option? An outside company called Gazelle buys vintage items MacBooks To be recycled. After accepting Gazelle’s offer, you print a prepaid label or order a prepaid box and ship the device to them.
Read more: Phone and laptop repair has become mainstream with payment from iFixit
Best buy
Best Buy generally accepts up to three household items per store family daily to be recycled for free, including desktop computers and printers, as well as other items ranging from E-readers to Vacuum cleaners. While the limit for most items is three, there is an upper limit for laptops — Best Buy will take five of them per household per day. Note that rules for delivery of monitoring devices vary by state, and it is not always possible to do so for free. Best Buy also offers email service Recycling service For specific items, but this is also not free. A small box that holds up to 6 pounds costs $23, while a large box (up to 15 pounds) costs $30. A CNET editor recently pulled out an old set of TV-VCR tubes for e-cycling, and was happy to pay $30 to get rid of them.
Office warehouse
Office Depot and OfficeMax merged in 2013. The retailers offer technology trade-ins program Either in-store or online, where you may be able to get a store gift card for old computers and printers. If the device has no trade-in value, the company will recycle it for free. Office Depot also sells e-waste recycling bins that you can fill with electronics to recycle and then drop off at stores, but they’re not free. Small boxes Cost $8.39 Holds up to 20 pounds of average weight Cost $18.29 Holds up to 40 lbs and large boxes Cost $28 And hold up to 60 pounds.
Basic food items
You can bring old desktops, laptops, printers and more to the Staples checkout counter for free recycling, even if they weren’t purchased there. According to a Staples representative, the retailer also has a free at-home battery recycling bin, which has led customers to recycle thousands of batteries weekly, compared to the previous average of 50 batteries per week. Here is a list Everything That can be recycled at Staples.
Watch this: Give your old phone a second life: the right way to recycle and reuse it
Where to find electronics recycling centers
If you don’t live near a major retailer or prefer to take your computers and printers to a recycling center, you can locate places near you using search tools provided by Earth911 and the Consumer Technology Association.
Earth911
Use a recycling center Search function On Earth911 to find recycling centers near your zip code that accept laptops, desktops, and printers. Note that results may also show places that accept this Mobile phones Not computers or printers, so you may have to do a little filtering.
Green tools
Consult the Consumer Technology Association’s Green Tools Recycling selector To find local recycling centers in your area that will take your old items. The search function also allows you to filter results to search separately for places that use computers versus printers.