MRI Chatham Group

MRI Chatham Group is one of the recycling services tracked by eCycling Central in Chapel Hill, NC, accepting consumer electronics and other e-waste.

What it costs

This is a national program drop-off. National programs typically accept the manufacturer's own brand free of charge, with fees on third-party items or oversized goods (CRT monitors, large appliances). Confirm pricing with the location before drop-off.

North Carolina e-waste law

North Carolina's Discarded Computer Equipment and Television Recycling (NCGS 130A-309.130) (2007) governs how electronics must be disposed of in this state. The law uses an manufacturer registration and reporting and covers TVs, computers, monitors.

Fee structure: Free at collection programs

Penalty for illegal disposal: Up to $5,000 per day per violation

Key requirements: Landfill ban since 2011. Counties must offer collection of computer equipment and TVs.

Source: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.

What can be recovered from your e-waste

Material composition varies by device, but the typical recoverable yields look like this:

• Smartwatch / wearable (55g typical) - recoverable: 0.011g gold, 0.1g silver, 4.5g copper, 8g aluminium
• Headphones / earbuds (220g typical) - recoverable: 0.005g gold, 0.05g silver, 9g copper, 12g aluminium
• Bluetooth speaker (950g typical) - recoverable: 0.02g gold, 0.15g silver, 65g copper, 35g aluminium

Source: Cucchiella et al. (2015) Recycling of WEEEs; Umicore Precious Metals Recovery datasheets; UNEP Recycling From E-Waste to Resources.

Before you visit

**Preparing your e-waste:** factory-reset phones, tablets, and laptops before drop-off (most facilities will not perform data wiping for you). Bag loose batteries separately. Bring proof of residency if the program is municipality-funded. Check whether the site accepts the specific item you're bringing - acceptance varies widely.

Used electronics still hold recoverable value: gold connectors, copper bus bars, palladium in catalytic surfaces, and aluminium cases. Responsible recycling sends those materials back into the supply chain instead of into landfill.

Related listings and tools

All recycling locations in North Carolina · Recycler directory · Find recycling near me · Scrap value calculator

Listing reviewed: April 2026 - sourced from eCycling Central's directory of US recycling locations.