Where can Raleigh residents drop off computer recycling?

Wake County Household Hazardous Waste Facilities accepts most household items. Free HHW disposal for Wake County residents. Phone: (919) 856-7400. Verify hours and accepted items before going.

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.

Electronics Recycling · Raleigh, NC · Local guide

Computer Recycling in Raleigh

Computers, monitors, keyboards, and printers have been banned from NC landfills since July 1, 2011 under the Discarded Computer Equipment and Television Management Law. Drop off free at any Wake County Multi-Material Recycling Facility, or schedule free Raleigh curbside e-waste pickup. Best Buy (3/day) and Staples (7/day) also accept computers at Raleigh stores.

Where to drop off computer recycling in Raleigh

6 local options, verified against listing sources.

Wake County household hazardous waste program

Wake County Household Hazardous Waste Facilities

Free HHW disposal for Wake County residents.

Phone: (919) 856-7400 · Website: official program page ↗

Other local programs

Wake County Multi-Material Recycling Facilities (MMRFs)

Electronics with cords (TVs, computers, monitors, phones, game consoles, microwaves, printers), large appliances, scrap metal, motor oil/antifreeze, cooking oil, cardboard. North Wake MMRF at 9029 Deponie Drive (next door to the HHW facility); South Wake MMRF at 6130 Old Smithfield Road, Apex; East Wake MMRF at 5051 Wendell Blvd.
Wake County Household Hazardous Waste Facilities

Three HHW facilities accepting oil-based paint, pesticides, automotive fluids, acids/bases, fluorescent bulbs, rechargeable batteries, and medications. South Wake (6130 Old Smithfield Rd, Apex, Mon-Sat 8AM-4PM); North Wake (9037 Deponie Dr, Raleigh, Sat only 8AM-4PM); East Wake (5051 Wendell Blvd, Wendell, Sat-Sun 8AM-4PM).
City of Raleigh curbside e-waste collection

Free scheduled curbside e-waste pickup for City of Raleigh garbage customers; max 4 electronic items per week; accepts TVs (working or broken), monitors, computers, small corded appliances.

Phone: 919-996-3245
City of Raleigh Yard Waste & Bulky Item Collection

Curbside yard waste collection (bags, cans) on designated service days. Bulky item pickup (furniture, appliances) available for a fee: $35/load for bulky items (furniture, mattresses), $70/load for special items (appliances with refrigerant). E-waste pickup remains free.

Phone: 919-996-3245
Call2Recycle drop-off network

Free rechargeable and lithium-ion battery drop-off at participating Home Depot, Lowe's, and Staples locations across the Raleigh area.
Batteries Plus — Raleigh locations

Free recycling for rechargeable and single-use batteries plus fluorescent bulbs/tubes at Raleigh-area Batteries Plus stores. Also accepts small electronics (phones, tablets) and ballasts for recycling.
NC Department of Justice shred-event calendar

Statewide listing of free community paper-shredding events; Raleigh-area events typically cluster in April-May and September-October at banks, credit unions, and police stations.
Wake County Convenience Centers (weekend HHW collection sites)

Two weekend-only collection sites for residents unable to visit the main HHW facilities during the week. Accept HHW items including paint, pesticides, and automotive fluids. Saturday-Sunday 8AM-4PM at select locations.

What to know in Raleigh

Local rules and laws

NC G.S. 130A-309.10 bans computers, monitors, printers, and televisions from NC landfills, effective July 1, 2011 (Discarded Computer Equipment and Television Management Law, SB 887 / S.L. 2010-67).
NC G.S. 130A-309.10 bans lithium-ion batteries from landfill disposal effective December 1, 2026.
NC G.S. 130A-309.70 prohibits disposal of lead-acid batteries in landfills, incinerators, or waste-to-energy facilities; retailers selling lead-acid batteries must accept used ones for recycling.
City of Raleigh stormwater rules: oil-based paint, paint cleaner, and paint waste may not be disposed in the sanitary sewer or stormwater system (latex wash water is allowed in sanitary sewer only).
NC G.S. 130A-309.10 also bans motor oil, motor-vehicle oil filters, antifreeze, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles from landfill disposal in NC.
NC G.S. 130A-309.10(f), as amended by SL 2023-137: expands the NC landfill disposal ban to include photovoltaic modules (solar panels) effective December 1, 2026.
Wake County Solid Waste Ordinance (Chapter 65): establishes operating rules for all county solid waste facilities, sets fees for non-resident use, and prohibits commercial waste dumping at residential facilities.

Useful local details

Wake County's three HHW sites run completely different schedules: South Wake (Apex) is the only Mon-Sat site, North Wake (Raleigh) is Saturday only, and East Wake (Wendell) is weekends only. Showing up on the wrong day is a common mistake.
The North Wake HHW main storage building was destroyed in a January 22, 2025 fire; same-day Saturday collection runs at an adjacent building under a temporary state permit while a replacement is planned.
PaintCare does not operate in North Carolina — the program is only in 12 states plus DC, so NC residents have no producer-funded paint takeback network and must use HHW facilities or dry-and-trash latex paint.
Raleigh garbage customers get free curbside e-waste pickup (max 4 items/week) at 919-996-3245 — a widely overlooked option that beats hauling TVs to the county facility.
Motor oil, antifreeze, and used oil filters are not accepted at HHW sites — they go to the Multi-Material Recycling Facilities instead, a frequent point of confusion.
Wake County allows small amounts of fully dried latex paint (mixed with kitty litter or sand until solid) in regular household trash; only larger amounts or oil-based paint require HHW (10-gallon paint limit per visit).
Raleigh's bulky/special pickup fees rose April 1, 2026: $35/load for bulky and $70/load for special. E-waste pickup remains free.
Wake County requires all solid waste disposed at its Transfer Station to be covered (tarped) during transport, and loads must have a cover or else face a $50 per load penalty.
Residents who want to dispose of large appliances (refrigerators, freezers, AC units) must have the refrigerant removed and tagged by a certified technician before schedule pickup or drop-off.
The City of Raleigh's green yard waste cart program accepts leaves, grass clippings, and brush up to 6 inches in diameter — but not dirt, rocks, or treated lumber.

For general electronics recycling info — what's recyclable, how to prepare items, where the materials go — see the national electronics recycling guide. For all Raleigh options, browse electronics recycling in Raleigh.

Sources verified for this guide

Updated · 2026-05-19