Last Revised: August 28, 2025
Electronic equipment that is broken or obsolete must be properly disposed or sent for recycling. DO NOT PLACE ANY ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT IN THE TRASH, EVEN IF IT IS BROKEN.
On January 24, 2013 the PA Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) banned most electronic equipment from disposal in the regular the trash. This regulation is titled The Covered Device Recycling Act of 2010.
Electronic equipment may contain heavy metals and other materials that can be hazardous to human health and the environment. Computers and electronic equipment typically contain:
- Lead - Computer monitors contain a picture tube known as a cathode ray tube (CRT). CRT's contain leaded glass, and are the largest source of lead in municipal waste. Solder used in printed circuit boards may also contain lead.
- Cadmium - The largest source of cadmium in municipal waste is rechargeable nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries. These batteries are found in most desktop and laptop computers.
- Mercury - Some electronic equipment also contains recoverable quantities of mercury, which is a toxic metal.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers some discarded electronic equipment as characteristic hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Unwanted electronic equipment must therefore either be donated for reuse or sent for recycling.
Penn Computing provides recommendations for preparing equipment for recycling or disposal including the removal of sensitive data and commercial software from the machines.
Please contact your school's or center's computing services group prior to donating, recycling or disposing of any equipment.
Computer and electronic equipment that cannot be donated must be sent to an electronics recycler. eForce and Elemental Inc., are both locally operated approved University vendors. These vendors will pick up all types of computer and electronic equipment.
For questions regarding this program, please contact Jim Crumley at the Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS), 215-746-5036.
The Office of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety (EHRS) will collect used batteries* for recycling (listed below) only from university research laboratories. To request a pickup of used batteries you may submit an online waste pickup request form at Chemical Waste Pickup Request Form
Other university departments cam check the Penn Sustainability - Specialty Recycling Collections Map to locate a drop off location.
If your building/School does not have a drop off location, additional options are below:
1. eForce can provide your building with a battery recycling tube at a one time cost.
When the tube is around 80% full, please submit a work order request through the FRES website for the Urban Park team to service the battery cylinder.
2. Sign up with "Call2Recycle". For a nominal fee, they will send you a collection box which can shipped back to them when filled.
Alkaline (carbon-Zinc): These are common non-rechargeable batteries that most people use. Alkaline batteries are not regulated as hazardous waste and can be disposed of in the regular trash or sent to be recycled.
Lead-Acid batteries: These include automotive and smaller gel-cell batteries commonly use in emergency lighting systems. Lead-Acid batteries contain regulated amounts of lead and must be recycled.
Lithium Batteries: These batteries come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and are commonly used in computer clocks, cameras, watches, and other equipment. These batteries are not regulated hazardous waste, but EHRS manages them as such.
Mercury batteries: These are usually small and button shaped. Mercury batteries contain regulated amounts of mercury and should be handled as hazardous waste. These batteries are no longer available in the United States although they may still be found in older equipment.
Nickel-Cadmium: These are the most common rechargeable batteries and are commonly found in cellular phones, and other types of rechargeable equipment. NiCd batteries contain regulated amounts of cadmium and should be handled as hazardous wastes.
Nickel Metal Hydride: These are rechargeable batteries that are commonly used in cordless hand tools and other types of equipment. These batteries are not regulated as hazardous waste, but EHRS manages them as such.