Smartphones & Tablets

Materials: Gold, silver, palladium, copper, cobalt, lithium, rare earth elements (neodymium, dysprosium), tantalum, tin, tungsten

Hazardous: Lithium-ion batteries (fire risk), lead solder (older models), brominated flame retardants

Disposal options:

• Manufacturer trade-in programs (Apple, Samsung, Google)
• Carrier recycling (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile stores)
• Best Buy drop-off (free, all brands)
• ecoATM kiosks (pays cash for qualifying devices)
• Gazelle, Decluttr (mail-in buyback)

One ton of smartphones contains 300x more gold and 6.5x more silver than one ton of gold ore. There are approximately 0.034g of gold per phone.

Data warning: Factory reset before recycling. For maximum security, encrypt the device first, then factory reset. Remove SIM card and SD card.

Computers & Laptops

Materials: Copper (wiring), gold (connectors, circuit board traces), silver (solder), aluminum (cases), steel (frames), silicon (chips), rare earth magnets (hard drives)

Hazardous: Lead (CRT monitors, solder), mercury (LCD backlights, older models), cadmium (batteries), beryllium (connectors), brominated flame retardants (circuit boards)

Disposal options:

• Manufacturer programs (Dell Reconnect, HP Planet Partners, Apple Trade In)
• Best Buy (free recycling, any brand)
• Staples (free electronics recycling)
• Local e-waste collection events
• Goodwill (partnership with Dell for refurbishment)

A single computer circuit board contains up to $15-25 worth of precious metals. Hard drive magnets contain neodymium, one of the most valuable rare earth elements.

Data warning: Use data destruction software (DBAN, Eraser) or physically destroy the hard drive. SSDs require secure erase commands or physical destruction — standard deletion is insufficient.

Televisions & Monitors

Materials: Glass (panel), copper (wiring), aluminum (frames), plastics, indium tin oxide (LCD/OLED), phosphors (CRT)

Hazardous: Lead (CRT tubes contain 4-8 lbs of lead), mercury (CCFL backlights in older LCDs), cadmium (older phosphors), brominated flame retardants

Disposal options:

• Manufacturer take-back (varies by brand and state)
• Best Buy ($29.99 haul-away for TVs > 50")
• Municipal e-waste collection events
• Local recycling centers (may charge a fee for CRTs)

Modern flat-panel TVs contain less precious metal than computers. The primary recycling value is in copper, aluminum, and recoverable glass.

Data warning: Smart TVs: factory reset to remove accounts and personal data before recycling.

Large Appliances

Materials: Steel (60-70% by weight), copper (motors, compressors), aluminum, plastics, glass

Hazardous: Refrigerants (CFCs in pre-1995 units, HFCs in newer), PCBs (pre-1979 capacitors), mercury (thermostats), compressor oil

Disposal options:

• Retailer haul-away with new purchase (most major retailers)
• Municipal bulk pickup programs
• Scrap metal dealers (may pay for large appliances)
• Utility company rebate programs (often include haul-away)
• Habitat for Humanity ReStore (working appliances)

Large appliances are the most recycled consumer product category. A typical refrigerator contains 100-150 lbs of recyclable steel and 3-5 lbs of copper.

Batteries

Materials: Lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese (Li-ion); lead, sulfuric acid (lead-acid); zinc, manganese dioxide (alkaline); nickel, cadmium (NiCd)

Hazardous: All battery types present hazards: lithium-ion (fire/explosion risk), lead-acid (lead and sulfuric acid), NiCd (cadmium is carcinogenic)

Disposal options:

• Call2Recycle drop-off locations (Home Depot, Lowe's, Staples)
• Best Buy (rechargeable batteries)
• Auto parts stores (car batteries — legally required to accept in most states)
• Municipal hazardous waste collection
• Single-use alkaline batteries: trash in most states (but check locally)

Cobalt in lithium-ion batteries is the most valuable component ($30,000-50,000/ton). Recycling recovers 95%+ of lead from lead-acid batteries. Li-ion recycling rates are currently only 5% but growing rapidly.