How To Recycle Remote Controls?
Have you ever wondered can remote controls be recycled, the answer is yes, remote controls are recyclable. We’d prevent 240,718.6 tons of CO2 emissions every seven years by recycling remote controls.
Here’s a complete guide on how to recycle remote controls and where you can do it.
Why Should You Recycle Remote Controls?
You should recycle remote controls for environmental reasons:
Less e-waste - By recycling old remote controls, you divert waste from local landfills, which helps the environment.
Less mining - Recycling reduces the need for raw materials to manufacture new remote controls.
Bad for the environment - Remote controls with batteries inside can leak harmful chemicals into the water supply.
You should recycle remote controls for financial reasons:
Collection of raw materials - Recyclers can collect materials from remote controls, such as plastic, fiberglass, and batteries, and use them to manufacture new items.
Less money spent - Reusing materials obtained by recycling remote controls, manufacturers spend less money. There’s also less money spent on mining for new raw materials.
What Materials Can You Retrieve From Remote Controls?
Materials you can retrieve from remote controls are:
| Parts | Retrieved Materials Through Recycling |
| ABS Plastic | Most remote controls are made from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene or ABS. ABS can be reused for computer keyboards, toys, kitchen and cleaning appliances, and many other products. This plastic is one of the most common plastic materials. |
| Fiberglass | This is reinforced plastic material made of glass fibers embedded in a resin matrix. It can be reused to make other products. |
| Screen plastic | Some remote controls have small screens which have a plastic cover. This is usually found at the top of the remote control. It’s made of nylon, silicone, TPU, or TPE plastic. |
| Rubber | Keypads and buttons are made of rubber. Most manufacturers keep the rubbery composition a trade secret, but materials most commonly used to produce this rubbery texture are Estane, Arnetell, Santoprene, Pellethane, Dynaflex, Polytrope, or Sarlink. |
| Filler plastic | Can be used to make remote controls heavier. This filled plastic is made of glass, carbon, aramid, or stainless steel fibers. It can be reused to make bulletproof vests. |
How to Recycle Remote Controls?
E-Waste Recyclers
E-waste recyclers are the best option for recycling e-waste, which includes remote controls. They have the necessary knowledge and equipment for recycling and can retrieve as many materials as possible from remote controls. Plus, many batteries contain harmful chemicals and can’t be thrown with regular recycling waste. You need to find a certified recycling facility.
Municipal Waste Management
Remote controls fall under e-waste, and not all municipal waste management programs accept e-waste for recycling. Some municipalities don’t have the necessary facilities and equipment to recycle remote controls, especially batteries. You should contact your municipal waste program to check if they accept remote controls. Make sure also to ask them about batteries.
Retailers
Some retailers accept remote controls for recycling for free. You should check the website of the retailer you bought your TV or remote control from or go to their store. National chains that accept remote controls for recycling include Best Buy, Staples, and Logitech.
Donation
Donation is always a great solution if you have a working remote control. You can offer it to a community center or a nonprofit organization. Or drop it off at Goodwill, Salvation Army, or another local charity or thrift store. These stores can resell the remote control to someone who needs it. You can also list it for free on local Facebook groups.
Where to Recycle Remote Controls?
Now that we answered the question, are remote controls recyclable, the next most common search query is, “Recycle remote controls near me?”
Here’s where to recycle remote control no matter where in the US you live.
Drop-off Recycling (for Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area)
SF Bay area residents can visit our Burlingame EcoCenter. This is where we recycle all kinds of electronic items.
Tip: Check if the item you want recycled falls into the free or paid category. We charge $1.00 for recycling remote controls per pound.
Our employees will weigh your remote control, and you can pay using a contactless chip reader.
Business Recycling Pick-ups (for Businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area)
If you’re a business in the SF Bay Area and you want to dispose of remote controls, you can contact us and schedule a collection. Contact our Business Pickup Service and schedule a pickup.
Here’s how it works:
- Gather all the remote controls you have.
- Take a picture of the remote controls you want to be recycled and email it to us. Our employee will give you a quote.
- Confirm the pickup time, and our crew will come and pick up all the remote controls.
- We’ll weigh the remote controls and send you an invoice, and you’ll be notified when the remote controls have been recycled.
Mail-in Recycling (US-Wide Service)
If you don’t live in the SF Bay Area, you can choose the mail-in recycling option and send us your remote controls via mail.
Here’s how to mail your remote controls:
- Fill in the mail-in form and weigh in your remote controls.
- Pay the recycling fee online.
- Choose the shipping company you like and send us the remote controls.
- We’ll notify you when we receive the remote controls.
Green Directory (US-Wide Service)
Our Green Directory is a one-stop service for all your recycling needs. Use it to find recycling centers all over the US.
Here’s how to use it:
- Enter remote control in the search for bar
- Put in your zip code
- Hit search
You’ll get a list of all recycling businesses that recycle remote controls in your area. Pick one you like best and drop off your remote control to be recycled.
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