E-Waste Recycling

E-waste, or electronic waste, refers to discarded electrical or electronic devices and components. This includes everything from old smartphones and laptops to refrigerators, washing machines, and industrial equipment. As technology advances and devices are replaced more frequently, the volume of e-waste generated globally has grown into one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world, with the United Nations estimating that over 50 million metric tons of e-waste is generated annually.

The problem with e-waste extends beyond sheer volume. Electronic devices contain a complex mixture of materials, many of which are hazardous. Cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and televisions contain lead in significant quantities. Fluorescent lamps in many displays contain mercury. Circuit boards and semiconductor chips contain lead, cadmium, beryllium, and other toxic heavy metals. When e-waste is improperly disposed of in regular trash or landfills, these toxic materials can leach into soil and groundwater, contaminating drinking water sources and causing long-term environmental and public health damage.

In developing countries where e-waste is sometimes exported for "recycling," workers—often including children—dismantle electronics by hand with no protective equipment, exposing themselves to toxic chemicals and creating severe health problems. Burning circuit boards to recover precious metals releases dioxins and other carcinogens into the atmosphere. This is why responsible recycling with certified domestic processors is so important.

The good news is that e-waste also contains valuable materials that can be recovered and reused, reducing the need for virgin material extraction. Precious metals like gold, silver, palladium, and copper are present in electronic components and can be recovered through proper processing. Responsible e-waste recycling creates both environmental benefits through hazardous material containment and economic value through material recovery.

AK Recycling accepts a comprehensive range of electronic waste. In terms of computing equipment, we take desktop computers and workstations, laptops and notebooks, tablets and e-readers, monitors and displays of all types, printers, scanners, copiers, fax machines, servers and data center equipment, networking equipment including routers and switches, UPS systems and power strips, and all computer peripherals.

For consumer electronics, we accept televisions of all technologies including LCD, LED, plasma, and older CRT models, mobile phones and smartphones, audio and video equipment, gaming consoles and accessories, digital cameras and camcorders, GPS devices, e-readers, and most other consumer electronic devices.

We also accept many types of office and business equipment, including point-of-sale systems, medical monitoring devices (non-hazardous), laboratory equipment, telecommunications equipment, and various industrial electronics. Batteries, including rechargeable batteries from laptops, phones, and other devices, are also accepted.

Some items we cannot accept include major household appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers), fluorescent and CFL light bulbs (these require different processing), and certain specialized industrial or medical equipment that requires specific handling procedures. If you're unsure about a specific item, please call us at 323.581.5700 before making the trip.

California's Electronic Waste Recycling Act (SB 20/SB 50) established an e-waste recycling program funded by a fee collected at the point of sale of covered electronic devices. When you purchase a new TV, computer monitor, or laptop in California, you pay an e-waste recycling fee that goes into a fund used to support certified recyclers who process these items when they're eventually discarded.

This fee-based system means that many covered electronic devices can be recycled at no additional charge at certified recyclers like AK Recycling. The fee you paid when you bought the device essentially pre-paid for its eventual responsible disposal. Certified Electronics Recyclers (CERs) in California are paid by the state program for each qualifying device they recycle.

Covered devices under the California program include most computer monitors, televisions, and laptop computers with screens. Devices that are not covered under this program—such as older non-screen devices, industrial electronics, or phones—may be recycled free of charge anyway, depending on the value of recoverable materials, or may carry a small processing fee.

AK Recycling participates in California's e-waste recycling program and can accept covered devices for free recycling at our Los Angeles facility. For the most current information about what devices are covered under the state program and how fees work, visit the CalRecycle website or contact us directly.

Electronic devices contain a variety of hazardous materials that require special handling to prevent environmental contamination. Lead is one of the most significant—older CRT monitors and televisions can contain several pounds of lead each in the glass of the picture tube. Lead is a potent neurotoxin that is particularly harmful to children and can persist in soil and water for decades.

Mercury is another major concern, found primarily in fluorescent backlights used in LCD monitors, televisions, and laptop screens. Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in fish and other wildlife. When LCD screens are broken or improperly disposed of, mercury vapor can be released or can leach into soil and water.

Cadmium is found in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries and some semiconductor components. It is a carcinogen and persistent environmental pollutant. Beryllium is used in some electronics components and is an extremely hazardous material—beryllium dust inhalation can cause berylliosis, a serious and potentially fatal lung disease.

Circuit boards contain multiple hazardous substances including lead solder, brominated flame retardants, and various heavy metals. When circuit boards are burned or dissolved in acid (common in informal recycling operations), these materials are released into the environment in particularly dangerous forms.

Fortunately, certified electronics recycling facilities like AK Recycling have the equipment, training, and processes to safely handle and contain all of these hazardous materials. When you bring your electronics to us, you can be confident that every hazardous component will be properly managed and none of it will end up in a landfill or overseas.

Proper e-waste recycling provides substantial environmental benefits through both hazardous material containment and material recovery. The containment side of the equation is perhaps most critical—by keeping lead, mercury, cadmium, and other toxic materials out of landfills, we prevent soil and groundwater contamination that could affect communities for generations. A single CRT monitor containing four pounds of lead, if landfilled, has the potential to contaminate thousands of gallons of groundwater.

On the material recovery side, electronics contain valuable and increasingly scarce materials. A ton of circuit boards contains significantly more gold than a ton of gold ore, making recovery economically valuable while reducing the need for environmentally destructive mining. Copper, aluminum, steel, and various plastics recovered from electronics can all be reused, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions compared to producing these materials from virgin sources.

The recovery and reuse of precious metals from electronics is particularly impactful. Mining gold, silver, palladium, and platinum is energy-intensive, generates significant waste, and often occurs in environmentally sensitive areas. Every pound of precious metal recovered from electronics reduces the need for new mining activity.

Beyond direct environmental benefits, responsible e-waste recycling supports the development of a circular economy where materials are kept in use rather than discarded. This systemic change in how we manage materials is essential for addressing long-term resource scarcity and environmental sustainability. By recycling your electronics at certified facilities like AK Recycling, you're participating in this important transition.