Can You Recycle Cell Phones?
No
Not curbside — trade in or e-waste drop-off
Why
Phones contain lithium batteries (fire risk) plus gold, silver, and rare-earth metals worth recovering. Carriers, manufacturers, and e-waste programs all take them.
How to dispose of cell phones
- Factory-reset the phone and remove the SIM card
- Trade it in with your carrier or manufacturer — even broken phones often have value
- Otherwise use any e-waste drop-off or mail-back program
Greener option
Old phones work as dedicated music players, webcams, or kids' devices.
♻️ Recycling rules vary by city and hauler — when in doubt, check your local program. You can look up your area on our trash & recycling schedules page.