Cords and old electronics can take up a lot of space. Here's a Before and After of a container of cords and old cell phones. Cords and phones that are no longer in use were separated to be brought to a recycling center. Remaining cords were organized by type and tied together with twist ties.
If you'd like to not have leaking mercury on your conscience, here's information from the U.S. Environmental Agency about mercury-containing products and recommended disposal.
What is Best Buy's Electronics Recycling Program?
This Program is an "In Store" solution for customers to bring their old/unwanted(no matter where they were purchased) consumer electronics for recycling.Which Best Buy stores accept consumer electronics for recycling?
All U.S. stores, including Puerto Rico, offer the "In Store" solution for customers to bring their old/unwanted (no matter where they were purchased) consumer electronics for recycling.
Why does Best Buy offer electronics recycling to customers?
Consumer electronics are the fastest growing waste stream on the planet. As one of the world's largest retailer of electronics, we are in a unique position to help our customers. Best Buy is committed to making it easier for consumers to choose greener products, use energy for electronics and appliances more efficiently and provide appropriate end of life solutions for the products we sell.
Are there any restrictions to the program?
Best Buy accepts most consumer electronics, with a few exceptions. Please select your state from the drop-down menu on the main page to view program details for your area.Does Best Buy charge a fee for recycling electronics?
Best Buy does not charge a fee for recycling most of the consumer electronic products. There is a charge of $10.00 for TVs 32" and under, CRTs and monitors in some areas which is offset by a $10.00 gift card. This charge does not apply to Best Buy private label products (i.e. Insignia®, Dynex®). Please select your state from the drop-down menu on the main page to view program details for your area.
Are there any limits to the amount of electronics customers can bring in?
Yes. Please select your state from the drop-down menu on the main page to view program details for your area.What are Best Buy standards for recyclers?
Best Buy makes sure that the recyclers we work with adhere to the highest guidelines and standards so that the products customers bring into our stores for recycling don't end up in landfills or in foreign countries, and that all hazardous materials are disposed of properly. We partner directly with a short list of qualified, respected recycling companies who ensure all products collected for recycling through Best Buy are handled responsibly. These recycling companies meet our standards, and we encourage them to examine and consider additional third-party standards for responsible practices (such as the EPA R2, eStewards, etc.). Please refer to our Consumer Electronics Recycling Standardsfor more information and a list of our partners.
What happens to products that are taken to the store to be recycled?
The products are removed from our stores through third party logistics, consolidated and then delivered directly to one of our contracted recycling partners. The recyclers will then determine if the product can be repaired, repurposed or recycled. Using various technologies our recyclers dismantle the electronics, separating out various commodities (Plastics, Glass, Metals, etc) which are re-purposed into new products or delivered to a specialized recycler to be further processed and re-purposed. The extent to which all of the commodities of any electronics can be recycled will depend on the composition of the unit. To ensure all products collected for recycling through Best Buy are handled and processed responsibly, we partner directly with qualified and respected recycling companies. Please refer to our Consumer Electronics Recycling Standards for more information and a list of our partners.
What happens to customer data included on a recycled product?
Best Buy stores will not take possession of customers' personal data- this includes, camera and computer discs/CDs/DVDs, hard drives from laptops or desktop PCs, or any other device that could contain customer information. In the case of hard drives on laptops or desktop PCs, customers will be asked to remove the hard drive themselves, or they can pay a Geek Squad agent to remove the hard drive before handing the PC over to be recycled. For an explanation on how to Do-it-Yourself, see this video from Geek Squad®. Under no circumstances shall Best Buy be liable for any loss of any data or media from products delivered to us for recycling.
What can customers do with electronics that Best Buy doesn't accept?
Customers can go to these Web sites to find alternate locations to recycle these products- 1-800-RECYCLING or www.1800recycling.com
- My Green Electronics - Enter ZIP code to search: www.mygreenelectronics.org
- ECycling Central - Click on state to search: www.eiae.org
What other recycling programs does Best Buy have?
Currently, Best Buy offers the following recycling programs besides the in-store recycling program.- Recycling Kiosks - Every U.S. Best Buy store has free kiosks, just inside the door, for you to drop off inkjet cartridges, rechargeable batteries, CDs/DVDs, and gift cards.
- Appliance and TV Haul-Away - Best Buy will remove an appliance or TV free of charge from a customer's home when a new product is purchased and delivered by Best Buy Home Delivery.
- Appliance and TV Pick-up - For $100, Best Buy will arrange a home visit to remove up to two appliances or TVs for recycling. More than two units, $20 per additional unit.
- Trade-In @ Best Buy - Customers can visit www.bestbuy.com/tradein to trade in select gently used electronics for a Best Buy gift card.
Does Best Buy accept batteries for recycling?
Best Buy is proud to partner with the nonprofit Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) to accept rechargeable batteries for recycling. Customers are welcome to drop off their rechargeable batteries at any of Best Buy's U.S. stores. Last year alone, Best Buy stores collected over 70,000 pounds of batteries that were recycled through RBRC.
Best Buy does not currently accept alkaline batteries for disposal. Customers should call 1-800-RECYCLING or visit www.1800recycling.com to find an alkaline battery recycling center in their neighborhood.
