Where Can You Recycle Electronics in Des Moines?

Cell phones, laptops, routers – oh my! 

The seemingly constant upgrading of electronics may be fun, but it often creates stashes of dusty old electronics in our closets and storage areas. And when you are ready to get rid of that old stuff, you can't just toss it into the trash—it’s environmentally damaging and illegal in some places. So, what places in Des Moines take electronics for recycling?

ATEC Recycling 
1745 NE 58th Avenue

ATEC specializes in “end of electronics” recycling of laptops, DVRs, keyboards, cables, printers, routers and all parts of a computer. They sell the recycled parts to secondary markets and convert cathode ray tubes, like those found in televisions and computer monitors, into clean glass.  

Goodwill of Central Iowa
4900 NE 22nd Street

Get rid of that ancient computer and get a tax donation receipt! Goodwill partners with Dell Computers to responsibly recycle a variety of computers and their components. They repair and resell computers where possible, or they go through Dell to dispose of all the parts. You should make sure any device you donate has had the information wiped clean. 

Dymin Systems
3970 NW Urbandale Drive, Urbandale

This Urbandale company serves Des Moines with computer recycling, as well as other e-waste disposal. You can simply drop your computer, laptop, scanner, printer and other electronics off and they will assess if it can be repaired and used. If so, they will either donate it to a charity or nonprofit, or they will sell it as a refurbished model. They also offer a trade-in program if you are upgrading your computer.

Forerunner Recycling
11520 South US Highway 71

Though they usually work with businesses, Forerunner will take computers from the general public for responsible recycling. They fully erase your hard drive using standards set up by the Department of Defense. They also attempt to reuse the donated items before completely stripping them and recycling the raw materials. 

When you need to do some spring cleaning, even if it is summer, there are several ways you can safely and responsibly dispose of your old electronics. For a full list of options, here's a great link by the Metro Waste Authority to additional resources in our area.