Electronics Recycling · Atlanta, GA
Computer Recycling in Atlanta
Before you go
The machine is easy. The data on it is the part people get wrong.
Sign out of your accounts first
Deauthorize the machine from Apple, Microsoft, Adobe, and anything else tied to a device limit. Doing it afterwards is a support-ticket problem.
Wipe the drive, or pull it and keep it
A factory reset is not a wipe on an older mechanical drive; it clears the index, not the data. If what's on it matters, remove the drive with a screwdriver and keep it, or hand the machine to a recycler that issues a certificate of destruction.
Look for NAID AAA if a business owns the machine
That's the certification that comes with documented, auditable destruction. For a personal laptop it's overkill; for anything holding customer or patient records it's the baseline.
Take the laptop battery out if it comes out without tools
Lithium cells are processed on a separate line and several sites want them handed over separately rather than sealed inside the chassis.
Treat a swollen battery as a fire risk
If the case is bulging or the trackpad is lifting, the battery is failing. Don't puncture it, don't press it flat, don't put it in a bag with anything else, and tell the counter staff before you hand it across.
Send the charger with it
Power bricks are accepted with the machine and are useless once it's gone.
Compare options
Computer Recycling in Atlanta
4 free · 5 fee-based
| Facility | Cost | Open now | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beyond Surplus(404) 905-8235 | Free |
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| Ecycle Atlanta(678) 369-4741 | Free |
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| Fulton Metals Recycling(404) 600-1444 | Free |
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| Reworx Recycling(678) 449-0003 | Free |
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| Paid or fee-based options | |||
| CHaRM Atlanta (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)(404) 600-6386 | Free for most |
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| CHaRM DeKalb (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)(404) 600-6386 | Free for most |
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| Best Buy | Free for most |
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| Staples | Free for most |
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| Keep North Fulton Beautiful Recycling Center | Depends on the item |
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Where they are
Relative positions across Atlanta. Not a street map: use Directions on a facility page to navigate.
Free Fee or conditional 2 more listings are not plotted, 2 because they cover a whole metro rather than one address.
- Beyond SurplusSmyrna
- CHaRM Atlanta (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)Atlanta
- CHaRM DeKalb (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)Decatur
- Ecycle AtlantaCollege Park
- Fulton Metals RecyclingCollege Park
- Keep North Fulton Beautiful Recycling CenterSandy Springs
- Reworx RecyclingSmyrna
How it works in Atlanta
Goodwill of North Georgia is a Dell Reconnect partner — any Goodwill store/donation center accepts any brand of computer equipment (computers, monitors, printers, scanners, drives, keyboards, mice, speakers, cables) for free. CHaRM accepts computers/electronics free for residents, $0.55/lb for businesses. Wipe drives first; CHaRM is not a certified data destruction provider. Best Buy (3/day) and Staples (7/day) also accept computers at Atlanta stores.
Local rules
- City of Atlanta curbside rules: Electronics, paint, chemicals, and batteries are prohibited from curbside carts and bulk pickup. Bulk pickup must be requested via ATL311; items cannot be placed at the curb before 7pm the day prior or a citation may be issued.
- Georgia has no statewide e-waste recycling law and no landfill ban on TVs, CRTs, computers, or other electronics — disposal programs are voluntary and run by local governments and private partners.
- Georgia's Universal Waste Rule (391-3-11-.16): regulates the management of batteries, recalled pesticides, mercury-containing devices, and lamps to encourage recycling over landfill disposal.
Worth knowing
- CHaRM Residential VIP Membership ($120/yr, tax-deductible) buys guaranteed Saturday appointments, 30-minute early access on Tue/Wed/Thu, one free TV/monitor drop ($25 value), one free mattress drop ($18 value), and discounts to the annual 'A CHaRM'ing Evening' fundraiser at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.
- Atlanta gives single-family residents 12 free scheduled bulk pickups per year via ATL311, but electronics, batteries, paint, and chemicals are explicitly excluded — those must go to CHaRM or a private recycler.
Fulton County household hazardous waste
CHaRM Atlanta (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)
Accepts a wide range of hard-to-recycle items.
13 more Atlanta rules, not specific to this item
- Georgia Code Sec. 12-8-28: Lead-acid (automobile) batteries are banned from Georgia landfills; retailers must accept used batteries from customers at point of sale and post the universal recycling notice.
- Georgia Code Sec. 12-8-40.1: Scrap tires banned from Georgia landfills (since Dec 31, 1994) unless shredded/chipped to standard. Private citizens may store no more than 25 scrap tires and transport no more than 10 without a permit.
- City of Atlanta Code Sec. 130-38 (Ord. 07-O-1335): Owners of multi-family dwellings, condos, or townhouses with 6+ units must provide recycling containers (at minimum for glass, plastics, newspapers, aluminum cans); city does not provide multi-family collection — owners must contract a private hauler.
- Georgia Code Sec. 12-8-22 et seq. (Georgia Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act): establishes the framework for solid waste management planning, disposal bans, and recycling programs at the state and local level.
- Atlanta has no PaintCare program — Georgia is not one of the 13 PaintCare jurisdictions (CA, CO, CT, DC, IL, ME, MD, MN, NY, OR, RI, VT, WA). Residents pay per-pound at CHaRM or use private paint haulers; there is no $0.35-$1.60 PaintCare fee built into paint purchases.
- CHaRM Atlanta is by appointment only — walk-ups are turned away. Book via booking.livethrive.org; bring the QR code to the gate.
- CHaRM Atlanta does NOT accept alkaline batteries, car batteries, or propane tanks of any size — common surprises for first-time visitors.
- Live Thrive operates TWO Metro Atlanta CHaRM locations on different days: Atlanta (1110 Hill St SE) on Tue/Thu/Sat; DeKalb (1225 Columbia Dr, Decatur) on Wed/Sat. Document shredding is only offered at the DeKalb site, on designated Shredding Event days.
- CHaRM serves the broader metro area without strict residency checks, but the Atlanta 311 article frames it as a City of Atlanta resident service — non-Atlanta residents are welcome but pay the same per-pound fees.
- Multi-county HHW landscape: Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Cobb each run their own resident-only events on different schedules, so residents near county lines often default to CHaRM for convenience (no residency check, year-round).
- Georgia is not a PaintCare state, so unlike CO or OR (where paint drop-off sites are everywhere), Atlanta-area paint drop-off is limited to CHaRM (fee-based), periodic county HHW events, or Atlanta Paint Disposal (fee-based private service).
- Atlanta is a regional hub for Li-ion battery recycling: Ascend Elements in Covington processes commercial-scale EV battery materials, and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) runs an EV battery reuse/recycling R&D program. But consumer drop-off for Li-ion is still through CHaRM or retail Call2Recycle bins.
- CHaRM charges residents $0.50/lb for the first 100 lbs of paint/chemicals after 20 free lbs — a linear model that makes small-drop (a few cans) cheap but large cleanouts expensive.
Other Atlanta programs
- CHaRM Atlanta (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials)Year-round drop-off facility at 1110 Hill St SE, Atlanta. Tue/Thu/Sat by appointment only. Accepts electronics (free for residents, $25/TV or monitor), paint/chemicals (first 20 lbs free, then $0.50-$0.75/lb), mattresses, carpet, Styrofoam, textiles, and more. Book via booking.livethrive.org. No residency check — open to all metro residents.404-600-6386
- CHaRM DeKalbSister facility to CHaRM Atlanta operated by Live Thrive; accepts the same hard-to-recycle materials. Open Wednesdays 9am-2pm and Saturdays 8am-2pm by appointment only. Document shredding available on Shredding Event days (Atlanta location does not offer shredding).404-600-6386
- DeKalb County Sanitation HHW CollectionFree biannual household hazardous waste events at the Central Transfer Station, 3720 Leroy Scott Drive, Decatur, 8am-noon. Accepts aerosols, batteries, adhesives, flammables, lawn-care products, fluorescent bulbs, photo chemicals, art supplies, paint. Open only to DeKalb County residents.404-294-2900
- Keep North Fulton Beautiful / Johns Creek HHW DayAnnual North Fulton HHW collection at Johns Creek City Hall, 11360 Lakefield Drive (Saturday, Sept 28 in 2026, 9am-1pm). Pre-registration required by the Thursday before or until cap is reached. Sandy Springs hosts a separate June event at Sandy Springs Youth Sports Complex.
- Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful HHW DaysTwice-yearly HHW collection days at Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, 9am-1pm. 2026 dates: Feb 7 and June 13. Gwinnett residents only.770-822-5187
- Keep Cobb Beautiful Annual HHW EventAnnual Cobb County HHW collection (next event October 2026; specific date posted in September). Cobb residents only.
- Dell Reconnect at Goodwill of North GeorgiaFree drop-off at any Goodwill of North Georgia store/donation center for any brand of computers, monitors, printers, scanners, hard drives, keyboards, mice, speakers, cables. Dell handles downstream recycling. Customers should wipe data first.
- Atlanta Paint DisposalPrivate paint pickup and drop-off service covering metro Atlanta. Drop-off sites at select ACE Hardwares, Benjamin Moore stores, recycling centers, transfer stations. Drop-offs limited to 50 gallons per visit; pickup service available for larger volumes.404-333-8763
- Call2Recycle drop-off network (Atlanta)Free rechargeable and small-format battery drop-off at participating Home Depot and Lowe's locations across metro Atlanta. 1-4 batteries per visit recommended.
- Batteries Plus — Atlanta locationsFree recycling for rechargeable and single-use batteries plus fluorescent bulbs/tubes at Atlanta-area Batteries Plus stores. Also accepts small electronics (phones, tablets) and ballasts for recycling.
- Global Paint for Charity (Atlanta-based nonprofit)Nonprofit that accepts donations of usable latex paint for redistribution to schools, community centers, and facilities in developing countries. Drop-off in Atlanta or schedule a pickup. Accepts unopened and opened gallons that are still usable (no hardening, no oil-based).855-853-7772
- Ascend Elements (Covington, GA — Li-ion recycling)Commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Covington, GA (east of Atlanta). Processes EV and consumer Li-ion batteries for material recovery using patented hydro-to-cathode technology. B2B intake — not a consumer drop-off.508-936-7701
Where this came from: 16 sources
- livethrive.org/charm (opens in a new tab)
- livethrive.org/charm/items-we-accept (opens in a new tab)
- livethrive.org/charm/dekalb (opens in a new tab)
- www.atl311.com/en-us/knowledgearticle/?code=KB0011610 (opens in a new tab)
- www.dekalbcountyga.gov/household-hazardous-waste-event-1 (opens in a new tab)
- keepnorthfultonbeautiful.org/household-hazardous-waste-1 (opens in a new tab)
- gwinnettcb.org/signature-events/household-hazardous-waste-collection-day (opens in a new tab)
- law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-12/chapter-8/article-2/part-1/section-12-8-28 (opens in a new tab)
- epd.georgia.gov/recycling-and-waste-reduction-resources (opens in a new tab)
- www.paintcare.org/paintcare-states (opens in a new tab)
- www.atlantapaintdisposal.com (opens in a new tab)
- goodwillng.org/green-initiative (opens in a new tab)
- www.dellreconnect.com (opens in a new tab)
- www.globalpaints.org (opens in a new tab)
- www.bestbuy.com/site/services/recycling/pcmcat149900050025.c (opens in a new tab)
- www.batteriesplus.com/recycling (opens in a new tab)
Common questions
About Computer Recycling here
How much does Computer recycling cost in this area?
4 of 9 facilities (44%) offer free recycling for Computer. Facilities that may charge: CHaRM Atlanta (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials), CHaRM DeKalb (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials), Best Buy. CHaRM Atlanta (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials): Free for most items. Some fees for TVs, paint, and certain items.. CHaRM DeKalb (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials): Free for most items. Some fees for TVs, paint, and certain items..
Do I need an appointment for Computer drop-off?
2 facilities require an appointment: CHaRM Atlanta (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials), CHaRM DeKalb (Center for Hard to Recycle Materials). Beyond Surplus, Ecycle Atlanta, Fulton Metals Recycling accept walk-ins.
Is pickup available for Computer?
Yes, 4 facilities offer pickup: Beyond Surplus, Ecycle Atlanta, Fulton Metals Recycling, Reworx Recycling.
Are there certified recyclers for Computer?
Yes. Local facilities hold certifications including: BBB A+, HIPAA Certified, EPA Compliant, NAID AAA. These ensure responsible processing and, for NAID, verified data destruction.
Are there quantity limits for Computer drop-off?
Some facilities have limits: Best Buy: 3 items per day per household; Staples: 7 items per day per customer.
What data destruction methods are used for hard drives?
Certified recyclers offer hard drive shredding, degaussing, and software wipe with certificates of destruction (NAID AAA verified). Some provide chain-of-custody documentation for business compliance.
Can I recycle a laptop with a broken screen?
Yes — broken laptops are accepted at most e-waste recyclers. Remove the battery if possible. Some recyclers charge a small fee for broken devices.