Houston residents can recycle electronics for free at three City of Houston sites, at two monthly Saturday events, at Best Buy and Staples stores, and at CompuCycle's weekday drop-off on Kempwood Drive. You need a Texas ID at the city sites, TVs over 36 inches need a private recycler, and nothing electronic should go out at the curb. Every address, hour and rule below was checked against the source on 25 August 2026.
Free City of Houston electronics drop-off (three sites)
The Solid Waste Management Department takes residential electronics at no charge at one recycling center and two Environmental Service Centers. Bring a current Texas-issued ID; for recycling alone that is all the city asks for.
| Site | Address | Hours | Notes |
|---|
| Westpark Consumer Recycling Center | 5900 Westpark Dr, Houston, TX 77057 | Monday to Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm | (713) 837-0311. Reviews posted in 2026 report the gate shut during listed hours, so call 311 or the center before loading the car |
| Environmental Service Center South | 11500 S. Post Oak Rd, Houston, TX 77035 | Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 8 am to 5 pm | Also takes household hazardous waste, fluorescent bulbs, lead-acid and rechargeable batteries |
| Environmental Service Center North | 5614 Neches St, Houston, TX 77026 | Second Thursday of each month only, 9 am to 3 pm | One day a month, so check the date before you go |
The six Neighborhood Depositories (N. Main, Sommermeyer, Kirkpatrick, Central St, Sunbeam, SW Freeway) are for bulk waste, tree waste and standard recyclables. The city's own page sends electronics to the three sites above instead.
Monthly Saturday e-waste events in Kingwood and Clear Lake
The city runs two free electronics collection events every month, both 9 am to 3 pm, with CompuCycle (e-Stewards certified) handling collection and data destruction on site. No appointment is needed.
| Event | When | Where |
|---|
| Kingwood e-waste recycling | First Saturday of each month | Kingwood Park & Ride (Metro Transit Center), 3210 W Lake Houston Pkwy, Kingwood |
| Clear Lake e-waste recycling | Second Saturday of each month | Ellington/Clear Lake Recycling Center, 246 Loop Rd, Houston, TX 77034 |
These are intended for Houston-area residents. If you live outside the city limits, CompuCycle's own facility (below) takes electronics from anyone during the week.
What the City of Houston accepts, and what it refuses
Accepted at the city sites and events: computers, laptops, monitors, servers, printers, copiers, fax machines, scanners, routers, hubs, switches, cell phones, telephones, VCRs, DVD players, cable boxes, uninterruptible power supplies, power cords, cables and scrap wire, mice and keyboards, ink and toner cartridges, and TVs including CRT sets up to 36 inches.
Not accepted at the electronics program: CRT TVs larger than 36 inches, game consoles, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, radios, clocks, irons, space heaters, rice cookers, thermostats of any type, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fluorescent bulbs, alkaline household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V), refrigerators, freezers, stoves, washers, dryers, air conditioners, paint and medical waste. Several of those refused items (microwaves, fluorescent bulbs, lead-acid batteries) are taken at the two Environmental Service Centers under the hazardous waste program rather than the electronics program, which is why the two lists on the city site look contradictory.
Retail drop-off in Houston: Best Buy, Staples, Home Depot
| Store | Takes | Cost | Limits |
|---|
| Best Buy | Flat-panel TVs and monitors up to 50 inches, laptops, desktops, phones, cables, hard drives, battery backups, stick and robot vacuums, fans, space heaters | Most items free; Best Buy says "some items may incur a recycling fee" and lists TV and monitor terms by state on its recycling page | Best Buy's page currently states both "up to ten items per household per day" and "limit three items per household per day" in different sections. Residents only, no business equipment, no recalled products |
| Staples | Computers, laptops, tablets, phones, hard drives, routers and modems, small servers, shredders, gaming consoles, cables, ink and toner | Free | No TVs on the accepted list |
| Home Depot and Lowe's | Rechargeable batteries and power-tool packs through Call2Recycle bins | Free | Not a drop-off for computers or TVs |
Best Buy is the practical answer for a game console (refused by the city) and for a flat-screen TV up to 50 inches. Staples is the fastest option for a dead laptop or a box of cables.
Houston electronics recyclers with their own drop-off
Only one private recycler in Houston advertises a free, walk-in residential service. The others are business and IT asset disposal operations; they will often take household items but call first.
| Recycler | Address | Hours | Residential walk-in? |
|---|
| CompuCycle | 8019 Kempwood Dr, Houston, TX 77055 | Monday to Friday, 8 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 5 pm | Yes, free, no appointment. Takes computers, phones, LCD, LED and plasma TVs, consoles, printers, routers, cables. Does not take fridges, stoves, washers, microwaves or vacuums |
| RAKI E-Waste & Electronics Recycling | 6305 Skyline Dr, Houston, TX 77057 | (713) 974-2001 | Business-focused; ask before bringing household items |
| Recycling Surplus (ABM System) | 9329 Alberene Dr, Houston, TX 77074 | Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm; (713) 541-2700 | ITAD and data destruction; business quantities |
| ESR Electronic Scrap Recycling | 6427 Springer St, Houston, TX 77087 | (713) 660-6642 | Scrap and monitor destruction; business quantities |
| Eagle Electronic Recycling | 9006 Mullins Dr, Houston, TX 77096 | (281) 623-8783 | Pickup service across Houston, Cypress, Richmond, The Woodlands |
| STS Electronic Recycling | 4801 Woodway Dr, Houston, TX | (844) 699-2913 | R2 and NAID certified; schools, businesses and government, free pickup |
Note on older listings: several Houston recyclers that appear in directories from 2010 to 2016 have moved or closed. CompuCycle, for example, is at 8019 Kempwood, not the 7700 Kempwood address still circulating. Each address above was taken from the company's own website on 25 August 2026.
What Texas law says about recycling electronics
Texas puts the duty on manufacturers, not on you. House Bill 2714 (2007) created the Texas Recycles Computers Program under 30 TAC 328.137: any brand that sells computer equipment in Texas must offer consumers a free and convenient way to recycle it, and must be on the TCEQ manufacturer list before its products can be sold in the state. The Texas Recycles TVs Program (30 TAC Chapter 328, Subchapter J) does the same for televisions, with each manufacturer's take-back based on its market share. In practice that means a Dell, HP, Apple, Samsung or LG device can be mailed back or dropped at a partner site at the manufacturer's expense; TexasRecyclesComputers.org and TexasRecyclesTVs.org list the brand-by-brand instructions. TCEQ itself does not run collection sites.
There is no state fee at the point of sale in Texas, unlike California. At city level, Houston asks that electronics never be placed at the curb with garbage or heavy trash; the curbside crews will not take them.
TVs: the item Houston residents get stuck on
- Flat-screen under 50 inches: Best Buy (fee may apply), CompuCycle (free), or any city site or Saturday event (free).
- CRT (tube) TV up to 36 inches: city sites and Saturday events take it free. Carry it upright and do not crack the tube.
- CRT over 36 inches, projection TVs, or anything the city refuses: use the manufacturer program under the Texas Recycles TVs rules, or a private recycler. Expect to pay for large CRT sets; the glass has negative scrap value.
- Working TV: sell it or donate it. Recycling is the last option, not the first.
Before you drop off a computer or phone
Sign out of Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung accounts, back up what you need, then run a factory reset. On a Mac or PC with a modern encrypted SSD a reset is enough; on an older spinning hard drive, either overwrite it with a wipe tool or pull the drive and keep it. CompuCycle and STS destroy data as part of their process, but the city sites make no promise about your data, so wipe first. Our factory reset guide covers every major device.
Is it worth money instead?
A working phone, tablet or laptop that is under about six years old usually has a buyer. Check what buyback services are paying this month in our Trade-In Price Index or run a model through the Device Value Checker before you recycle it. Dead or damaged devices can be priced in the Scrap Value Calculator.
Nearby cities
Sources
- City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department, Electronics & Recycling (houstontx.gov/solidwaste/ewaste.html), accepted and non-accepted lists, monthly events, checked 25 August 2026
- City of Houston, Environmental Service Centers (houstontx.gov/solidwaste/esc.html), addresses, hours, proof-of-address rules, checked 25 August 2026
- City of Houston, Residential Drop-Off Centers (houstontx.gov/solidwaste/dropoff.html), checked 25 August 2026
- City of Houston, Westpark Consumer Recycling Center facility sheet (PDF), Monday to Saturday hours; Bing Places listing, (713) 837-0311 and 2026 visitor reviews
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Electronics Recycling Programs, Texas Recycles Computers guidance (HB 2714, 30 TAC 328.137) and Texas Recycles TVs Program (30 TAC 328 Subchapter J), checked 25 August 2026
- Best Buy, Electronics and Appliances Recycling program page, checked 25 August 2026
- Staples, Recycling Services in-store accepted items list, checked 25 August 2026
- CompuCycle, Residential Electronics Recycling and Saturday Electronic Recycling Events pages (reviewed 2 July 2026), checked 25 August 2026
- Company websites of RAKI, Recycling Surplus, ESR, Eagle Electronic Recycling and STS Electronic Recycling, checked 25 August 2026
