Does Staples Recycle Electronics? (All You Need to Know)

If you’ve got old electronics kicking around the house, do you know how to properly dispose of them? There are recycling centers for electronics that are more available than you think.

Staples has a place where you can drop off old electronics to be recycled. Recycling services are free and encouraged as they help avoid electronics from ending up in a landfill.

In this article, we will review what kind of electronics Staples recycles, whether you may receive compensation for recycled items, and where to drop off electronics for recycling.

Additionally, we will address how to recycle electronics with Staples, what items you cannot recycle, and what Staples does with recycled electronics.

Table of Contents

What Kind of Electronics Does Staples Recycle?

Staples will accept a whole list of electronics items for recycling including:

Cables
Satellite receivers
Camcorders
Coffee brewers
Copiers
Computers
Projectors
Fax machines
Gaming consoles
Hard drives
Mice and keyboards
Cell phones
Monitors
Routers
Shredders
Stereos
Battery backup devices
Webcams
Video streaming devices
Tablets
Scanners
Servers
Printers
Modems
Laptops
iPod and MP3 players
GPS devices
Flash drives
eReaders
Digital cameras
Phones
Computer speakers
Disc players
Calculators

This list of acceptable electronics is fully comprehensive, and Staples will accept all of these in any condition. You can only bring in seven items per day for recycling and the service is always free.

Most of these items will end up in landfills where they will pollute the earth for ages to come, but with Staples recycling program, you can feel good about disposing of them knowing the materials may be reused.

Whether you need to get rid of a broken product or simply upgrade to the latest model, Staples recycling center is a good home for your old electronics.

Will Staples Compensate You for Any Recycled Electronics?

Not only is Staples electronics recycling program free of charge but there are also perks associated with compensation of certain electronic items.

Staples may offer you payment for certain electronics like tablets, computers, and smartphones. You will need to check with the manager of the store to see what electronics are eligible for compensation.

One of the most popular electronic compensation deals Staples offers is a fifty dollar credit toward a new printer when you recycle any old printer.

What’s even better, you don’t have to had purchased the recycled printer at Staples originally. Staples will accept eligible electronics in any condition from any store.

It may be time to clean out your house to see if you can get a little cash back or at least some Staples credits toward new electronics or office supplies from those old electronics that you stopped using years ago.

Can You Drop Off Electronics for Recycling At Any Staples Location?

Almost every Staples store accepts electronics for recycling with the exception being some of the smaller stores located in Washington D. C. and New York City.

If you need to drop off old electronics at Staples, simply go to your nearest Staples location and speak with the manager about where to drop them off.

Most Staples will have a designated recycling center with a Staples associate present for any questions you might have and to ensure that the electronics you are dropping off are valid for recycling.

The associate at the recycling center will also be able to issue you any compensation that is applicable to your recycling.

If you live in the Washington D. C. or New York City area, call ahead to your local Staples store to see if they accept electronics for recycling since some of them do not.

This way you won’t waste your time trying to recycle electronics at a store that isn’t equipped to take them.

How Do You Recycle Electronics with Staples?

Recycling electronics at Staples couldn’t be easier. Simply drop your old electronics off at the recycling station in Staples.

An associate should be present at the recycling center to confirm that the items you are recycling are allowed and to ensure that you are obeying the daily recycling limit of seven items per customer.

Anyone can drop off electronics at Staples for recycling; you do not need to be a Staples rewards member to reap the benefits of the recycling program. If you are part of a business, Staples will take all acceptable electronics from the business as well.

It’s a good idea to check with the powers that be and the technology department before recycling any electronics, however.

What’s more, you are not expected to purchase anything from Staples if you recycle your electronics with them.

Staples may offer you perks and incentives to purchase items such as printers for recycling certain electronics, but you are not obligated to spend any money in the store.

Are There Certain Electronics That You Cannot Recycle With Staples?

Although there are plenty of items that you can recycle through Staples’ electronics recycling program, there are certain items that are ineligible due to space restrictions and potentially hazardous waste risks.

The following items are prohibited from recycling at Staples:

Appliance
Kitchen electronics
Large servers
Alkaline and non-rechargeable lithium batteries
Smoke detectors
Large speakers
Televisions
Lightbulbs or lamps
Floor model copiers or printers

Make sure you check that none of the electronics items you plan to recycle belong to this list before you take them to Staples.

Most of these items are too large for Staples to accommodate and others contain hazardous material that requires special disposal methods under legal restrictions.

If you need to dispose of any of these items, contact your local waste disposal company to see what your options for recycling are. Even though Staples doesn’t take them, there could still be sustainable disposal methods for them.

What Does Staples Do With Recycled Electronics?

Staples houses all recycled electronics in one of their warehouses until they’ve accumulated enough material to send to their recycling partner ERI Direct.

This recycling company is a certified e-Stewards Recycler and is regularly audited to ensure that they are practicing responsible e-waste recycling methods.

They are also tasked with keeping all recycled parts in the country and not exporting or illegally selling them to black market dealers.

Once the recycled materials reach ERI Direct’s facilities, they sort through the items and harvest any reusable parts that can be upcycled for use in new electronics products.

Plastic, glass, and metal are all sorted out and sent to the appropriate facilities. All hard drives and devices containing data are wiped according to Department of Defense standards before being put back into commission.

Conclusion

If you need to recycle old electronics, Staples has an easy, fast, and free way for you to get rid of those electronics that have been cluttering up your house.

Staples electronic recycling centers can be found at almost every store and accept a wide variety of electronics including computers, phones, and printers.

You can be compensated for some recycled electronics and you are not obligated to make a purchase at Staples in order to recycle something.

You are limited to recycling seven items per day. There are prohibited items from recycling that mostly include large electronics and those containing hazardous materials that have special disposal regulations.

References

https://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/products/130303/15544/index.html

https://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/sustainability-center/recycling-services/electronics/