Los Angeles Cell Phone Recycling

Recycle or donate cell phones in Los Angeles with free shipping and secure data erasure.

From Hollywood to Santa Monica, Downtown LA to the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles residents are leading the way in sustainability and responsible recycling. Big Sky Recycling makes it easy to recycle or donate old cell phones from anywhere in Los Angeles through a secure, convenient mail-in program that protects your personal data and supports meaningful causes.

Los Angeles County supports e-waste recycling through programs like LA Sanitation and Environment and statewide initiatives through CalRecycle. However, access to drop-off locations can vary depending on your neighborhood and schedule. Big Sky Recycling provides a simple, statewide solution, allowing you to recycle your phones responsibly without leaving home.

By choosing to recycle your phones through Big Sky Recycling, you help reduce landfill waste, recover valuable materials, and support charities across the country – all while protecting California’s environment.

Why Recycle Your Phone in Los Angeles?

When you recycle your used phones with Big Sky Recycling, you help:

  • Keep electronics out of Los Angeles landfills and reduce urban e-waste.

  • Support California’s CalRecycle mission to reduce electronic waste statewide.

  • Prevent harmful materials from entering local ecosystems and waterways.

  • Recover valuable metals like gold, copper, and lithium.

  • Support charities helping veterans, survivors, and environmental causes.

  • Use a secure, mail-in program designed for convenience in a busy city like LA.

Ready to recycle your phones in Los Angeles? Print Your Free Shipping Label

What We Recycle in Los Angeles

We accept a wide range of devices from across Los Angeles – including smartphones, tablets, and more.

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Smartphones

iPhones and Android smartphones that are working or broken.

Cell Phones

All brands and models of regular flip phones and mobile devices.

Icon of a tablet or e-reader.

iPads & Tablets

All generations of iPads, Android Tablets, Amazon Tablets, Kindles, and other eReaders.

What We DON’T Recycle

We do not accept computers, landline phones, printers, ink cartridges, or cable boxes.

Visit Earth911 or CalRecycle to learn about recycling these items locally.

How to Recycle Phones in Los Angeles

Button for printing a shipping label

1. Print

Collect your phones, select a charity, and print a shipping label.

Illustration of a package containing cell phones.

2. Package

Follow our step-by-step guide on how to erase and safely package your phones.

Illustration of a package being shipped, with cell phones inside.

3. Ship

Schedule an at-home pickup or drop your package off at any USPS location.

Have questions about recycling phones in Los Angeles?
Here are answers to the most common questions.

Yes! Big Sky Recycling accepts both working and broken phones. Even if your device is cracked or damaged, it still contains valuable materials like gold, copper, and lithium that can be recovered and reused. We make sure every phone is processed responsibly – working devices are tested and refurbished when possible, while non-functional ones are securely wiped and recycled through certified facilities. Recycling broken phones helps reduce electronic waste and prevents toxic materials from entering California landfills.

California requires manufacturers to provide recycling programs for certain electronics under CalRecycle, but residents are not required to recycle their personal devices like cell phones.

Los Angeles County encourages responsible e-waste disposal through local programs such as LA Sanitation, but access can vary. Big Sky Recycling provides a simple mail-in alternative that ensures your devices are securely wiped and responsibly recycled.

Learn more about California e-waste initiatives at CalRecycle.

Absolutely. Every device sent to Big Sky Recycling is securely wiped using certified data erasure software compliant with NIST 800-88 standards. This process permanently removes all personal information: photos, messages, contacts, and stored data – making recovery impossible.

For phones that can’t be powered on or accessed, we ensure secure physical destruction through our downstream R2-certified recycling partners. Whether your device is reused, refurbished, or responsibly recycled, your data is completely protected from start to finish.

Learn more about our data erasure process.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Check out our full FAQ page 

Get Started Today

select a shipping method

SelfPaid Shipping
(1-4 Phones)

Help us by paying for shipping. This allows us to make a larger impact and provide more to charity.

PrePaid Shipping
(5+ Phones)

If you recycle five (5) or more cell phones, Big Sky Recycling will provide a free prepaid shipping label.