New York City Cell Phone Recycling

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 New York landfills.

New York requires manufacturers to provide recycling programs, but residents are not required to recycle phones.

New York City encourages responsible e-waste disposal through local programs 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 New York e-waste initiatives at DSNY.

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.