Calgarians can recycle electronics free at the three City of Calgary Eco Centres (East Calgary, Spyhill and Shepard), at Technotrash Alberta's drop-off in Manchester industrial, and at the Electronic Recycling Association depot on 73 Avenue SE. Alberta's stewardship program, run by the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) since 2004, means you already paid the recycling cost as an environmental fee when you bought the device, so there is no charge at drop-off. The program grew to more than 500 product types on 1 April 2025, taking in power tools, microwaves, toys and musical instruments. Every address, hour and fee below was checked against the source on 25 August 2026.
City of Calgary Eco Centres: free electronics drop-off
Each of the city's three landfills has an Eco Centre where electronics are free. You still queue at the scalehouse, weigh in and out, and pay only if the load contains garbage or chargeable items. Business loads are not part of the residential electronics program.
| Eco Centre | Address | Hours |
|---|
| East Calgary Landfill and Eco Centre | 3020 68 Street SE | April to October: Monday to Friday 6 am to 5 pm, Saturday and Sunday 7:30 am to 5 pm (winter hours differ; check the city page) |
| Spyhill Landfill and Eco Centre | 11808 69 Street NW | Year round: Monday to Saturday 7:30 am to 5 pm, closed Sunday |
| Shepard Landfill and Eco Centre | 12111 68 Street SE | Year round: Monday to Saturday 7:30 am to 5 pm, closed Sunday |
What the Eco Centres accept as electronics, per the city's list: TVs of all sizes (the city notes it takes sets larger than 30 inches), desktop and laptop computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, cables, printers, scanners and fax machines, servers, routers and modems, drives, phones and tablets with their chargers, radios, stereos, CD and cassette players, VCRs and DVD players, non-wooden speakers, cameras, projectors, headphones, calculators, landline phones, answering machines, satellite dishes, small appliances (microwave, toaster, kettle, iron, fan, heater, hair dryer, vacuum), power and air tools with the rechargeable battery attached, and games, toys and musical instruments with a plug or battery. Household batteries go to the hazardous-waste area, also free.
Do not put electronics in the blue, black or green cart; the city says so in capitals and the trucks will not take them.
Other free drop-offs in Calgary
| Recycler | Address | Notes |
|---|
| Technotrash Alberta | 537 Manitou Road SE, Calgary | Listed by the City of Calgary as a free electronics drop-off; Bing Places shows it opening at 9 am, phone (403) 265-2332. Its website was down on 25 August 2026, so call before going |
| Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) | 1315 73 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB T2H 2X1, (403) 262-4488 or 1-877-9EWASTE | Non-profit that refurbishes and donates working computers to charities; drop-offs of standard electronics are free for individuals; free pickups for larger loads; can issue a donation certificate. Some data-destruction services carry a charge |
| Shanked Computer Recycling | Calgary | Named on the city's page as an electronics drop-off; its website did not respond on 25 August 2026, so confirm hours by phone before visiting |
| Quantum Lifecycle Partners | 2880 45 Avenue SE | Appears in Bing Places as a "City of Calgary Electronics Recycling Drop-off"; primarily a commercial processor, call first |
ARMA's depot finder at albertarecycling.ca lists every registered collection site in the province, including AMA offices that take personal electronics from members.
Best Buy and Staples in Calgary
Best Buy Canada states that end-of-life electronics can be dropped off free at participating stores during store hours under the provincial programs; the store, not Best Buy's website, is the place to confirm what a given branch takes. Staples Canada stores take small electronics, batteries and ink and toner. For a TV or a box of computers, the Eco Centres are the surer bet because they take everything on the ARMA list and nothing is turned away for size.
The Alberta environmental fee: what you paid and what it covers
Alberta was the first province to run an electronics stewardship program (ARMA, 2004). The fee is charged at the till and remitted by the seller; it is not a deposit and there is no refund at drop-off, but it is why recycling is free. ARMA cut most fees from 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2026:
| Product | Fee to 31 March 2025 | Fee 1 April 2025 to 30 September 2026 |
|---|
| Desktop computers and servers | $2.00 | $0.45 |
| Laptops, tablets, notebooks | $0.80 | $0.30 |
| Displays and all-in-ones under 30 inches | $2.50 | $1.30 |
| Displays and all-in-ones 30 inches or larger | $6.00 | $2.75 |
| Printers, copiers, scanners, fax | $3.00 | $1.65 |
| Home small appliances | new | $0.40 |
| AV, telecom, toys, music | new | $0.55 |
| Tools, lawn and garden | new | $0.65 |
Collected electronics go to ARMA-registered processors that are audited for data security and environmental handling; Alberta reports 275,404 tonnes of electronics recycled since 2004. From 1 October 2026 the same program starts taking end-of-life solar panels, Canada's first formal solar recycling scheme.
Loose batteries are a different program
Batteries inside a device are recycled with it. Loose household batteries fall under Alberta's extended producer responsibility program for hazardous and special products, not the electronics program. In practice both are free at the Eco Centres' hazardous-waste area, and the city asks that you tape the terminals of lithium cells.
Before you drop off a computer or phone
The City of Calgary's warning is direct: it is not responsible for personal information left on devices taken to non-partnered depots. Sign out of Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung accounts, back up, then factory reset; remove the SIM card. ERA and ARMA-registered processors wipe or destroy drives as part of their process, and ERA can provide a certificate. Our factory reset guide covers every major device.
Is it worth money instead?
A working phone, tablet or laptop under about six years old usually has a buyer, and the city itself suggests Facebook Marketplace or donation before recycling. Check this month's buyback prices in the Trade-In Price Index or run your model through the Device Value Checker first. Broken devices can be priced with the Scrap Value Calculator.
Nearby cities
Sources
- The City of Calgary, Electronics recycling for residents (calgary.ca/waste/residential/electronics-recycling-depots.html), accepted items, Eco Centre rule, Technotrash and Shanked listings, privacy note, checked 25 August 2026
- The City of Calgary, Electronics recycling FAQs (electronics-recycling-faqs.html), residential-only rule, checked 25 August 2026
- The City of Calgary, City Eco Centres and Landfill locations and hours pages (calgary.ca/waste/drop-off/), addresses, hours and free-item list, checked 25 August 2026
- Alberta Recycling Management Authority, Electronics Recycling Program page, Electronic Products Definitions and Fees (PDF, March 2025) and solar panel program notice (albertarecycling.ca), checked 25 August 2026
- Electronic Recycling Association, Calgary location and Recycling Depots pages (era.ca), checked 25 August 2026
- Bing Places listings for Technotrash Alberta and Quantum Lifecycle Partners, checked 25 August 2026
- Best Buy Canada, Environmental Handling Fees and Battery and Electronic Recycling Program pages (bestbuy.ca), as indexed by Bing on 25 August 2026; the page itself returned an error when opened
