By Gabriel Torres, Discard Junk Removal
Getting rid of e-waste in Sacramento, at a glance
STRAIGHT ANSWERS IN 10 SECONDS
- Not in the trash
- California has banned TVs, monitors, computers, phones and other electronics from household trash since 2006. Screens and circuit boards contain lead and mercury.
- Protect your data first
- Back up, then reset or erase computers and phones, or pull the hard drive and keep it. We don’t wipe hard drives, and most recyclers don’t either.
- Free options
- City of Sacramento customers can book a free Appliance and E-waste Pickup. Collection events, retailer take-back and drop-off sites work too.
- If you want it picked up
- We take TVs, computers and the whole pile to e-waste recycling. Single items start at $74. You pay after the job, fuel is included, no travel surcharges.
- How fast
- Same-day pickup is often available, and we’re open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Call early for the best chance.
- Reviews
- ★ on Google across 506+ reviews.
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Every household collects electronics: an old TV in the garage, a drawer of phones, a printer that stopped working years ago, a tangle of cords nobody can identify. In California, none of it can go in the trash. Here’s how to get rid of e-waste in the Sacramento area in 2026, including free options, how to protect your data, and when it makes sense to have it picked up.
The short version: wipe your data first. If you live in the city of Sacramento, book a free appliance and e-waste pickup for up to four large items. Otherwise, use a collection event, a retailer take-back or a drop-off site, or have a crew pick it all up and take it to e-waste recycling.
Why electronics can’t go in the trash
California treats most electronics as universal waste. Since February 2006, the state has banned putting electronic devices in household trash, including TVs, monitors, computers, cell phones and VCRs, along with batteries, fluorescent bulbs and mercury thermostats. Screens and circuit boards contain lead, mercury, cadmium and other metals that can leak out in a landfill. Recycling recovers the glass, plastic, copper and precious metals instead.
Step one: protect your data
Before any computer, phone or tablet leaves your hands, deal with the data on it. We don’t wipe hard drives, and most collection sites and recyclers don’t either.
- Computers: back up what you want, then use the operating system’s reset or erase tool, or remove the hard drive and keep it.
- Phones and tablets: sign out of your accounts, remove the SIM and memory cards, then do a factory reset.
- Printers and copiers: some store scanned documents; check the settings for a memory-clear option.
- Old drives you can’t wipe: keep them and have them destroyed separately.
Option 1: City of Sacramento appliance and e-waste pickup
Electronics aren’t accepted in the city’s Household Junk Pickup. Instead, City of Sacramento residential customers get two free Appliance and E-waste Pickup appointments a year, and the program runs year-round.
| Rule | What the city requires |
|---|---|
| Per appointment | Up to four large e-waste items, such as TVs, laptops, hair dryers and space heaters. |
| Small devices | Several small handheld devices, like phones and calculators, in one box count as one item. |
| Placement | On your property at the end of the driveway, visible and easy to reach. |
| Timing | Out no earlier than 24 hours before the appointment and by 6:00 a.m. on the day. |
| Appliances | The same appointments also cover up to two large appliances. |
You request an appointment through Sac311, online or in the app. The four-item limit goes quickly if you’re clearing out a home office or a garage full of old gear. Our guide to City of Sacramento junk pickup explains how this program fits with the others.
Option 2: Drop-off, events and retailer take-back
If you’re outside the city, or you’ve used your appointments, there are other free or low-cost ways to recycle electronics:
- Household hazardous waste and e-waste sites. County and city collection facilities take electronics and batteries from residents. Check which items each accepts before you go.
- Collection events. Cities, schools and nonprofits in the region hold periodic e-waste drives. They’re a good time to clear out several items at once.
- Retailer take-back. Many electronics stores accept small devices, cords and batteries, and some take TVs and monitors, sometimes with limits or a fee.
- Manufacturer programs. Several computer and phone makers run mail-back or trade-in programs for their own products.
Working electronics can also be donated. Laptops and phones in good condition are often wanted by schools and nonprofits; older TVs and printers usually aren’t.
Option 3: Have it picked up
If you have more than a few items, a heavy tube TV, or electronics mixed with other junk, a crew is the easiest option. We carry electronics out from any room, the garage or the attic, and take them to e-waste recycling. A single TV or a box of small electronics starts at $74; larger loads are priced by truck space. Please wipe or remove drives before we arrive. See e-waste removal in Sacramento, or commercial e-waste removal for offices and schools.
Some recent e-waste jobs from our records, labeled with the customer’s city:
- Sacramento, September: an old TV still in its box, a coffee table, a desk and plastic shelving.
- Rancho Cordova, September: office boxes, recycling and a handful of old electronics.
- Carmichael, August: a refrigerator, a ladder, a battery and a load of e-waste.
- Elk Grove, July: a TV and about a pickup bed’s worth of household trash.
- Stockton, June: a single 40-inch TV.
- Folsom, July: a lamp, a printer, kitchenware and a few boxes.
What happens at an e-waste recycler
At a licensed e-waste recycler, devices are sorted by type and taken apart. Circuit boards are separated for their copper, gold and other metals, plastic housings are shredded and sorted, and the leaded glass from old tube screens is handled separately. Batteries are pulled out and sent to battery recyclers. That’s a lot of material that would otherwise sit in a landfill, which is exactly why California requires it.
Clearing a home office or a whole house
E-waste rarely comes one piece at a time. A home office usually has a desktop, a monitor or two, a printer, a router, a desk phone and a drawer of cables. A move-out or estate cleanout adds old stereos, DVD players, game consoles and a TV or two. Start by collecting everything in one room, pulling out anything with personal data to wipe, and bagging the cords together. Then decide what fits in a city appointment, what can go to a drop-off, and whether it’s easier to have it all picked up at once along with the furniture and boxes.
Special cases
- Tube TVs and console TVs. They contain leaded glass and can weigh well over 100 pounds. Don’t drop them or break the screen; carry them upright with two people.
- Batteries. Lithium batteries from laptops, phones, tools and e-bikes can start fires if damaged. Tape the terminals, bag them separately and never put them in a trash or recycling cart.
- Fluorescent bulbs and CFLs. These contain mercury and go to household hazardous waste collection, not e-waste bins.
- Leased equipment. Copiers and cable boxes are often leased or rented; return them to the company rather than recycling them.
- Microwaves and small appliances. These count as appliances or e-waste depending on the program; list them when you book.
Comparing your options
| Option | Cost | Limits | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| City e-waste pickup | Free, twice a year | 4 large items per appointment | City residents with a few items |
| Drop-off or event | Usually free | You transport it; check accepted items | Anyone with a car and some time |
| Retailer take-back | Free or a small fee | Store rules vary | Phones, cords, batteries, small devices |
| Junk removal crew | From $74 | Drives wiped or removed first | Many items, heavy TVs, mixed loads |
“They did a great job at picking up the junk I wanted to get rid of. They were quick and very helpful. They were even able to come same day .”
Cassidy Z., Google review
Frequently asked questions
No. Since 2006, California has banned electronic devices like TVs, monitors, computers and cell phones from household trash, along with batteries and fluorescent bulbs. They have to be recycled or taken to a hazardous waste or e-waste collection site.
Yes, through its Appliance and E-waste Pickup, not the regular junk pickup. City customers get two free appointments a year, year-round, with up to four large e-waste items per appointment placed at the end of the driveway.
Several small handheld devices, like phones and calculators, can go in one box, and the box counts as one large e-waste item.
No. We don’t wipe hard drives. Please wipe or remove the drives from computers before we pick them up, and factory-reset phones and tablets.
With us, a single TV or a box of small electronics starts at $74. Larger loads are priced by how much space they take in the truck.
Keep them out of the trash and out of your e-waste boxes if they’re loose. Tape the ends of lithium batteries, bag them separately and take them to a battery drop-off or household hazardous waste site.
A garage full of old electronics? Call Discard Junk Removal at (916) 866-1152, or see e-waste removal. We answer 24/7.
