Where to Recycle


Find places to properly dispose of your unwanted things. Just click on what materials you need to recycle! Remember, recycling is good for all of us!

Electronic Waste - Household Hazardous Waste - Bottles & Cans - Plastic Bags - Polystyrene Packaging Peanuts - Construction & Demolition Debris - Local CA Recycling Centers - Other Recycling Services

E-Waste

CIWMB's Electronic Recycling Locator - Check out this list by county to find your nearest drop-off or other recycling option. (for computers, laptops and other electronics)

My Green Electronics - Companies that offers free take-back of their used electronics. 

FREE E-Waste Recycling Events - Find free and easy locations to safely dispose of unwanted electronics in your community.

Cell Phone Recycling 

  • RecyclePhones.org
  • AT&T : View a list of AT&T Store locations to find your nearest cell phone donation drop-off spot. Check out Cellphones for Soldiers, a program that helps our troops call home.
  • LG Mobile Phone Recycle Program 
  • Motorola: Mail-in cell phones, PDAs and accessories by printing off postage paid labels (PDF)  from the computer. Any make or model is accepted free of charge. Race to Recycle offers accredited K-12 schools an opportunity to recycle any cell phone at the same time they raise funds for their schools.
  • Nokia: Mail-in your unwanted phone by printing a prepaid shipping label and sending it in for free recycling.
  • Palm: Mail-in mobile phones, handhelds and accessories such as chargers and headsets free of charge. Download the postage paid mailing label (PDF).
  • Samsung: Mail-in any cell phone and accessories. Simply box up your old phone and accessories, print off the pre-paid mailing label and mail in the phone for recycling.
  • Sony Ericsson offers consumers the ability to print pre-printed shipping label [the link to the prepaid label appears after accepting the terms of use and privacy policy] from their Web site and mail in old devices (any make or model) free of charge. They also offer an event based cell phone recycling program. For more information on setting up a cell phone recycling program in your area, contact Steve Coston.
  • Sprint provides two cell phone recycling programs for consumers: (1) The Sprint Buyback program offers Sprint customers an account credit for returning eligible Sprint and Nextel models, and the Sprint Project Connect program is for all consumers; (2) Use the store locator to find a participating store near you. It accepts wireless phones, batteries, accessories and connection cards for recycling — regardless of make, model, condition, or service provider free of charge.
  • T-Mobile: Consumers can drop off cellphones at any T-Mobile retail store or mail in any mobile devise and accessories by boxing them up and printing off the pre-paid mailing label (PDF). Postage paid recycling bags are included with all purchases. Customers can also pick up a recycling envelope at any T-Mobile store.
  • Verizon Wireless: Mail-in or Drop-off. Consumers can drop off no-longer-used wireless phones and equipment in any condition from any service provider at any Verizon Wireless retail store. 

CD Recycling - Remember that CDs and DVDs shouldn't be discarded and can in fact be recycled. Some free e-waste events and municipalities will take them as part of e-waste. Call them to see if they do. Or try Green Disk for a simple mail back option.

Toner and Inkjet Cartridges

  • Recycle Your Empty Toner and Inkjet Cartridges - For every item recycled through this program a donation is made to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. This organization is committed to eradicating breast cancer as a life threatening disease by advancing research, education, screening and treatment.
  • Planet Green - This inkjet cartridge remanufacturing company based in Chatsworth, CA accepts used inkjet printer cartridges and cell phones and the company pays for shipping.

Household Hazardous Waste

Used Rechargeable Batteries - Search by ZIP code for the rechargeable battery recycling collection site in your area.

Used Single Use Batteries - Search by county for facilities and businesses that accept single use batteries.

Universal Wastes (including fluorescent lamps (CFLs)) - CIWMB's Electronic Recycling Locator for locations to recycle near you.

Note: All Home Depot and IKEA stores will take back and recycle your CFLs free of charge (the picture on the right was taken at an IKEA store).

Used Motor Oil - CIWMB's Used Motor Oil Recycling Program locator of recycling centers in your neighborhood.

DTSC's Take It-Back Program - Dept. of Toxic Substances Control has a convenient way to recycle batteries and lamps for businesses and individuals.

Medical Waste - Find information on CIWMB's website on how to properly dispose of many types of medical waste in your homes, including pharmaceuticals and other personal care products such as medical sharps and mercury thermometers.

Paint

  • CIWMB Recyclers Database  Be sure to call recycler before dropping off oil-based and latex paint. Some recyclers only take certain brands/types of paint.
  • Some latex paint can be donated or reused. Check with local charities, schools, and youth programs, such as the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts. Paint can be used to decorate props for a play, add color to a play room, or coat shelves.

Bottles and Cans

Supermarket Recycling Locations Throughout the State

Thanks to California's Bottle and Can Recycling Law, Recycling for Cash is now as close and convenient as your local Supermarket. These Supermarket locations in California will now gladly accept and pay CASH for Glass, Plastic and Aluminum Beverage Containers!

Recyclables are accepted during all hours that stores are open for business. Unless otherwise stated on a sign posted at the store entrance, empty beverage containers can be redeemed for cash at any open cash register.

Locate beverage container recycling centers through the Dept. of Conservation's Bottles and Cans website and get money back for your bottles!

Plastic Bags

Plastic bags are accepted for recycling at large grocery stores and pharmacies. 

Polystyrene Packaging Peanuts

Most UPS Stores will take back and reuse your unwanted packaging peanuts that come in that gift you just received. Contact your local store for details!

The Plastic Loose Fill Council also as has a partial list of places for take back here.

Click here to find a location near you that will take back your polystyrene packaging blocks.

Construction and Demolition Debris

CIWMB C&D Debris Recyclers Database - Find a place that collects specific types of construction and demolition debris for reuse or recycling in your county.

Your Local Community Recycling

California County Waste and Recycling Resources - Browse by county to find out where to recycle unwanted materials.

County of San Mateo RecycleWorks - Great site with its own searchable database for harder-to-recycle items like electronics and appliances for residents of San Mateo County.

San Francisco's Department of the Environment also has a similar searchable database for hard items to recycle such as polystyrene, personal care products and garden furniture.

L.A. Shares - A non-profit program that takes tax-deductible donations of reusable goods & materials (both new & used) from the local business community. LA Shares redistributes these items free of charge to non-profit agencies and schools throughout Los Angeles.

Other Recycling Services

Earth 911 - A ZIP code based directory of recycling options near you. You can also call their toll-free number 1 (800) CLEAN-UP/ 1 (800) 253-2687

CalMax - A free program run by the State of California that helps businesses find markets for non-hazardous materials that are normally discarded.

Carpet America Recovery Effort - A national program aimed at recovering discarded carpet. Use this page to find a place near you.

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