Recycling Electrical Goods: How Australians Should Dispose of Old IT Hardware

Old computers, monitors, and cables pile up fast—and they should not go in the household bin. Australia produces a large amount of electronic waste each year, and powered devices can contain materials that are hazardous if dumped with general rubbish.

This short guide covers recycling electrical goods for everyday IT hardware: where to take it, how to protect your data, and what to do with batteries.

Quick answers (for busy readers)

• Do not put IT hardware in council recycling or landfill bins. Treat it as e-waste.
• Best everyday drop-off for old IT gear: Officeworks Bring it Back — free in-store recycling for computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, mice, chargers, cables, printers, routers, and more.
• Still usable? Check Officeworks trade-in options for phones, laptops, tablets, and selected devices before recycling.
• Wipe data first on laptops, phones, USBs, and hard drives before you drop them off.
• Batteries: Officeworks does not accept batteries in-store. Use B-cycle drop-off points instead — never put batteries in household bins.
• Need more detail? Officeworks also covers home and office recycling tips in their e-waste Noteworthy article.

Why old IT hardware needs proper recycling

Anything with a plug, battery, or circuit board is typically e-waste. That includes laptops, desktops, monitors, printers, modems, keyboards, mice, chargers, and hard drives.

Putting these in standard bins risks:

• Hazardous materials entering landfill
• Lost recoverable metals and plastics that can be reused
• Fire risk when lithium batteries are crushed in waste trucks

For a practical overview of recycling tech at home and in the office, see Officeworks’ guide: Electronic Recycling: Everything You Need to Know.

Where to take old IT hardware: Officeworks

For most Australian consumers and small offices, we recommend starting with Officeworks.

Their Bring it Back program accepts a wide range of IT and tech accessories free of charge. Check the current accepted list on the official page: Recycling at Officeworks.

Common IT items Officeworks typically accepts

• Computers and laptops (hand to a team member)
• Monitors
• Keyboards, mice, headphones, speakers
• Chargers, cords, and cables
• Modems, routers, and Wi‑Fi equipment
• Printers and scanners (hand to a team member)
• USBs, hard drives, CDs/DVDs
• Mobile phones and smartwatches (hand to a team member)
• Motherboards and printed circuit boards
• Smart home devices
• Ink and toner cartridges

Items Officeworks does not accept (examples)

• Batteries (see the battery section below)
• Household appliances (toasters, vacuums, hair dryers)
• Power tools
• Cameras

Larger items may need staff assistance at the counter. Policies can change, so confirm against the Officeworks recycling page before you visit.

Trade-in tip: If a phone, laptop, tablet, or selected device still works, trade-in may be a better first step than recycling. Officeworks explains both paths on the same recycling page.

Wipe your data before you recycle

Before dropping off a laptop, phone, tablet, USB, or hard drive:

1. Back up anything you still need
2. Sign out of Microsoft, Apple, Google, and business accounts
3. Factory reset the device, or cryptographically wipe / securely erase the drive
4. Remove SIM cards and removable storage

Officeworks notes that you are responsible for removing personal information before drop-off. If a device is too damaged to wipe, their recycling partners typically destroy data as part of processing—but a proper wipe first is still the safer default for business and personal devices.

Businesses retiring a fleet should treat disposal as part of lifecycle planning—see our guide to business laptop lifecycle and warranty.

Batteries: do not take them to Officeworks

Officeworks no longer accepts batteries in-store (from February 2024). Batteries left in general waste are a serious fire risk and can leak harmful materials.

What to do instead

1. Never bin batteries — keep them out of household rubbish and kerbside recycling.
2. Tape the terminals on used batteries with clear sticky tape to reduce short-circuit risk.
3. Find a B-cycle drop-off — B-cycle is Australia’s official battery stewardship scheme. Use the locator at bcycle.com.au/drop-off (supermarkets, hardware stores, and other participating sites).
4. Call ahead for bulk — if you have more than about 1 kg of batteries, check the drop-off point can accept the quantity and types.

B-cycle is aimed at small, loose, easily removable batteries (AA/AAA, button cells, many rechargeable packs under size limits). Devices with built-in batteries (many modern laptops and phones) are usually recycled as whole e-waste—for example via Officeworks Bring it Back or MobileMuster-style phone programs—rather than as loose cells.

For damaged, swollen, or leaking lithium batteries, ask your local council, Community Recycling Centre, or a specialist recycler for advice. Do not put them in a normal bin.

A simple disposal checklist

1. Sort: IT hardware vs loose batteries vs general rubbish
2. Wipe data on storage devices
3. Take IT gear to Officeworks recycling (or trade in if eligible)
4. Take loose batteries to a B-cycle point
5. For anything unclear, check Officeworks’ e-waste article or Planet Ark’s Recycling Near You listings

Common questions (Q&A)

Can I put old computers in my yellow recycling bin?

No. Computers, monitors, and most tech accessories are e-waste. Use a dedicated recycling pathway such as Officeworks Bring it Back.

Is Officeworks recycling free?

Yes — Officeworks states it is free to use Bring it Back stations. Always confirm current details on their recycling information page.

What IT items can I recycle at Officeworks?

Common examples include computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, mice, chargers, cables, routers, printers, hard drives, USBs, phones, and related accessories. See the full accepted / not accepted lists on the Officeworks recycling page.

Does Officeworks take batteries?

No. Officeworks stopped in-store battery collection to focus on other recycling streams. Use B-cycle to find a local battery drop-off.

Should I wipe my laptop before recycling?

Yes. Remove personal and business data, factory reset where possible, and remove removable media. Treat data protection as part of disposal—especially for work devices.

What if my device still works?

Consider trade-in or reuse first. Officeworks offers trade-in for selected devices; otherwise Bring it Back recycling keeps materials in circulation.

Where can I learn more about home and office recycling?

Start with Officeworks’ recycling program overview and their Noteworthy article on recycling e-waste at home and in the office.

How Layer 3 IT can help

Layer 3 helps Australian businesses plan hardware refresh and retirement through computer hardware and software and managed IT services—including secure wipe practices before devices leave your site.

If you are clearing a cupboard of old business gear and want a practical disposal plan (data first, then recycling), contact Layer 3.

Source notes

• Officeworks — Bring it Back / recycling program: https://www.officeworks.com.au/information/about-us/recycling
• Officeworks Noteworthy — Electronic Recycling: Everything You Need to Know: https://www.officeworks.com.au/noteworthy/post/recycling-e-waste-home-office
• B-cycle — Australia’s battery stewardship scheme: https://bcycle.com.au/
• B-cycle drop-off locator: https://bcycle.com.au/drop-off/
• NSW EPA — Never bin a battery: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/Your-environment/Recycling-and-reuse/never-bin-a-battery

Suggested citation: Layer 3 IT, “Recycling Electrical Goods: How Australians Should Dispose of Old IT Hardware” (draft for review).