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Electronics Recycling · Tampa, FL

Computer Recycling in Tampa

Before you go

The machine is easy. The data on it is the part people get wrong.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. Send the charger with it

    Power bricks are accepted with the machine and are useless once it's gone.

Compare options

Computer Recycling in Tampa

3 free · 1 fee-based

Facility Cost Open now Notes
Hillsborough County HHW & Electronics Collection(813) 272-5680 Free
for Hillsborough County residents		 5 CCC locations: Mon-Sat 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (varies) Walk-in 5 Community Collection Centers plus monthly HHW events.
Urban E Recycling(813) 512-6998 Free
for most electronics. Scrap metal pays market rates. Business pickup quoted.		 Mon-Fri 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM Walk-in Pickup avail. Full-service electronics recycler and scrap metal buyer.
eCycle Florida(813) 463-0079 Free
(residential). Business services quoted.		 Mon-Fri 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Appointment Pickup avail. Specializes in electronics and telecom equipment recycling.
Paid or fee-based options
Best Buy Free for most
$30 fee for TVs under 50"		 Hours not published Walk-in Tampa area Best Buy locations including Westshore Plaza, Citrus Park, Brandon, and Un…

How it works in Tampa

Laptops, desktops, and tablets are accepted at all five Hillsborough CCCs — and notably, monitors, keyboards, routers, and mice are EXCLUDED from the 5-item monthly cap, so you can drop those off in any quantity. The County recommends factory-resetting devices and pulling SIM cards or drives before drop-off. Best Buy and Staples also accept computers in Tampa.

Local rules

  • Florida has NO statewide mandatory e-waste/electronics recycling law; FDEP issued non-binding 'Regulatory Guidelines for the Management of Unwanted Electronic Products' (June 16, 2008). For households, recycling is recommended but not legally required.
  • Hillsborough County's Community Collection Center policy: maximum 5 intact household electronic items per household per month (excluding monitors, keyboards, routers, mice) and paint limits of 10 one-gallon or 5 five-gallon containers per household per month.

Worth knowing

  • HHW events (paint chemicals, propane, fuels) only run on Saturdays once a month per facility — Sheldon Road on the 1st Saturday, South County on the 2nd, Hillsborough Heights on the 3rd. Electronics/paint/batteries at the CCCs operate full Mon-Sat hours separately.
  • Hurricane-season quirk: after major storms (Helene/Milton in 2024), Hillsborough Heights and the County's Resource Recovery Facility have been opened 24 hours for storm debris. Electronics and appliances from storm debris are sorted out and sent to dedicated recyclers rather than landfilled.

Hillsborough County household hazardous waste

Hillsborough County HHW & Electronics Collection

Accepts HHW at collection sites across the county.

(813) 272-5680 Official program page (opens in a new tab)

13 more Tampa rules, not specific to this item
  • Florida Statute 403.7185 imposes a $1.50 lead-acid battery fee on each new/remanufactured lead-acid battery sold at retail in Florida; statute also bars landfilling of lead-acid batteries.
  • Florida Statute 403.7192 governs rechargeable batteries: manufacturers/marketers must inform purchasers that the batteries are banned from the solid-waste stream and must accept returned waste batteries at designated collection sites.
  • Florida Statute 403.717 et seq. (Florida Hazardous Waste Management Act): applies to commercial/industrial hazardous waste generators and transporters; household hazardous waste is exempt under federal RCRA household-hazardous-waste exclusion.
  • Florida Chapter 62-730 (FAC) Universal Waste Rule: regulates the management of universal wastes including mercury-containing lamps, recalled pesticides, and certain batteries to encourage recycling over disposal.
  • Hillsborough County Code Chapter 20.5 (Solid Waste): authorizes the county to regulate solid waste collection, disposal, and recycling programs including CCC operations, fees, and prohibited materials.
  • Tampa city residents do NOT have a city-run HHW facility — the City of Tampa stopped hosting its own annual collection event and contracts with Hillsborough County. Tampa/Temple Terrace residents must drive to a County CCC and show a driver's license to use the service for free.
  • Hillsborough County experienced 30+ garbage and recycling truck fires over roughly three years, driving the regional Fire Prevention & Battery Recovery Campaign launched October 2025 — the first program of its kind in the Tampa Bay region.
  • Alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) in Hillsborough County are explicitly directed to the regular GARBAGE cart, never the recycling cart, and are NOT accepted at CCCs or HHW events.
  • Florida is NOT a PaintCare state, so there is no producer-funded paint takeback network like in CA/CO/OR. All household paint disposal in Tampa flows through the County CCCs.
  • Inter-local agreement: Tampa and Temple Terrace are covered by Hillsborough County's CCC/HHW system at no charge, but unincorporated-County residents have a separate annual allowance (10 cubic yards of bulky waste/appliances, 12 tires) requiring a tax bill in addition to ID.
  • Self-tipping (using a dump trailer or trailer with hydraulic lift) is prohibited at Hillsborough County CCCs — all materials must be hand-unloaded, and closed-toe shoes are required on the tipping floor.
  • Tampa's curbside recycling (every-other-week pickup) has a by-law requiring city-provided lidded 65-gallon or 95-gallon carts only — no additional bins or bags are accepted for recycling collection.
  • The County's Northwest CCC (8001 W Linebaugh Ave) and Hillsborough Heights CCC (6209 CR 579, Seffner) are the two sites also offering the Donation & Waste Diversion Program — items left there are sorted for reuse rather than disposal.

Other Tampa programs

  • Hillsborough County Community Collection Centers (CCCs)Year-round drop-off for electronics, paint, batteries, tires, large appliances, and bulky waste. Mon-Sat 7:30AM-5PM (closed 12PM-12:30PM daily). Locations include Northwest County (8001 W Linebaugh Ave, Tampa), South County (13000 S US Hwy 41, Gibsonton), and Hillsborough Heights (6209 County Road 579, Seffner), plus additional Community Collection Centers countywide — see hcfl.gov for the current list. City of Tampa residents can use all locations with valid Florida ID showing Hillsborough County address.
  • Hillsborough County HHW Monthly Saturday EventsMonthly first-Saturday HHW collection at Sheldon Road (1st Sat, 8001 W Linebaugh Ave, 8AM-2PM), second-Saturday at South County (13000 S US 41, Gibsonton), third-Saturday at Hillsborough Heights (6209 CR 579, Seffner). Accepts paints, chemicals, pesticides, propane tanks, automotive fluids. City of Tampa residents eligible with county address on ID.
  • Hillsborough County Fire Prevention & Battery Recovery CampaignLaunched October 2025 in partnership with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and regional franchise haulers. Pushes lithium-ion battery drop-off at CCCs and retail partners to reduce truck and MRF fires after 30+ regional incidents.
  • Call2Recycle drop-off networkFree retail drop-off for rechargeable, lithium-ion, and cell phone batteries at Tampa-area Home Depot and Lowe's stores (multiple Dale Mabry Hwy and Hillsborough Ave locations).
  • Tampa Bay Recycles regional partnershipJoint regional education effort between Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, City of Tampa, and City of St. Petersburg covering curbside recycling rules and contamination prevention.
  • Audi Tampa — Redwood Materials battery takebackAudi dealerships participating in the Redwood Materials program accept consumer lithium batteries (not full EV packs) for collection and refining.
  • Batteries Plus — Tampa locationsFree recycling for rechargeable and single-use batteries plus fluorescent bulbs/tubes at Tampa-area Batteries Plus stores. Also accepts small electronics (phones, tablets) and ballasts for recycling (some fees may apply).
  • Cooking Oil Recycling Effort (CORE) — Hillsborough CountyFree drop-off for used cooking oil at all five CCC locations and select fire stations. Accepts vegetable oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and other cooking oils in sealed containers. No motor oil, no commercial quantities. Collected oil is converted into biodiesel.
  • Hillsborough County Donation & Waste Diversion ProgramAt Northwest CCC, South County CCC, and Hillsborough Heights CCC, staff sort reusable items (furniture, building materials, bikes, toys) from the waste stream and divert them to local non-profits for reuse. Free way to declutter while supporting the community.
Where this came from: 14 sources

Common questions

About Computer Recycling here

How much does Computer recycling cost in this area?

3 of 4 facilities (75%) offer free recycling for Computer. Facilities that may charge: Best Buy. Best Buy: Free (most items). $30 fee for TVs under 50"..

Do I need an appointment for Computer drop-off?

1 facility requires an appointment: eCycle Florida. Hillsborough County HHW & Electronics Collection, Urban E Recycling, Best Buy accept walk-ins.

Is pickup available for Computer?

Yes, 2 facilities offer pickup: Urban E Recycling, eCycle Florida.

Are there quantity limits for Computer drop-off?

Some facilities have limits: Best Buy: 3 items per day per household.

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.

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