The holiday season is the most active time of the year for consumer electronics. New TVs, laptops, tablets, and phones arrive by the millions as people treat themselves to an upgrade or buy gifts for their loved ones. The devices they replace, however, rarely have a plan.
For most people, their old devices end up in a drawer for months. For businesses, it’s a storage room. For IT directors managing a year-end refresh cycle, it’s likely a pile that needs to go somewhere before the season ends.
This guide covers what responsible electronics disposal looks for during the holiday season for residents, small businesses, and organizations managing technology transitions.
Why the holidays create an e-waste problem
The connection between holiday shopping and e-waste is straightforward: when new devices come in, the old ones have to go somewhere. In 2022, a record 62 billion kg of e-waste was generated globally, and a lot of it happens during the holiday season.
In the United States alone, an estimated 10 million metric tons of electronics are discarded annually. That’s roughly 70 pounds per person, and less than 15% of it gets recycled responsibly. Specifically, the US generates 4.5 million tons of tech gifts during the holidays.
The problem isn’t lack of awareness, but the lack of a clear path. Most people don’t know what to do with their old gadgets or think it’s a difficult process, so they delay the decision indefinitely.
What responsible electronics recycling involves
Not all electronics recycling is the same. Some just send what they can’t recover or process to landfills, and others operate without any state or federal certification.
Responsible electronics disposal means working with a certified recycler that can account for where your equipment goes. In New York state, the benchmark is the NYS DEC certification — a standard that ensures electronics are handled in compliance with state environmental regulations.
For organizations managing sensitive data, the question of disposal goes further: devices that held personal, financial, or health-related information need to be handled with extra care.
For businesses: year-end device retirement
The holiday season overlaps with one of the busiest periods in the IT calendar: year-end device refreshes, budget spend-downs, and Q4 cleanouts.
For many organizations, this is when accumulated equipment finally gets addressed: the laptops for two cycles ago, the monitors in the storage room, the servers that were decommissioned but never removed.
With one phone call, Bruin can support your organization’s ITAD needs.
Scheduled pickups. We coordinate around your team’s availability and handle all the logistics.
Certified data destruction. This optional service is available for organizations that require documented proof of data destruction for compliance or audit purposes.
R2-certified downstream partners. Equipment is processed through R2-certified facilities, so none of it ends up in landfills.
No annual contracts. Retire IT equipment as needed on your timeline. Whether it’s one-time job or ongoing need, no long-term commitments are required.
For residents: what to do with old electronics after the holidays
If you’re among the many upgrading to the iPhone 18 this season, you’re not alone. This means there are millions of older iPhones and other everyday electronics that need to go somewhere.
Luckily, there are options for the responsible disposal of electronics. If you live in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York, Bruin offers:
24/7 Drop-Offs. You can drop off approved electronics at the Liverpool NY facility anytime. Bruin recycles most common electronics like computers, microwaves, game consoles, and more. See Materials We Recycle list.
A helpful tip: If it plugs, powers on, and does NOT contain freon, chances are we can recycle it.
Monthly TV recycling days. Bruin accepts TVs for recycling on the last Thursday of every month. There is a $20 fee per TV which covers the cost of specialized handling of certain components.
Note: Due to volume, we can only accept two TVs per household annually.
November’s TV Recycling Day is on November 27, Friday.
Pickups. If you have a garage’s worth of electronics that need safe disposal, you can schedule a pickup for convenience.
Quick guide to electronics disposal with Bruin
Can I drop off electronics any time?
Yes! Bruin’s facility — five minutes outside of downtown Syracuse NY — offers 24/7 drop-offs for most electronics. For large volumes or business pickups, scheduling a pickup is recommended.
Do you charge for pickups?
Pickups are free for qualifying loads. Contact Bruin directly to discuss your situation.
What electronics do you accept?
Bruin accepts a wide range of electronics including computers, laptops, monitors, phones, printers, and more. See the full accepted items list here.
Do you accept batteries?
Lithium-ion, lead acid, and lawnmower batteries are accepted. Household alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) are not accepted.
What about TVs?
TVs are accepted on the last Thursday of each month (except November, which will be on the Friday of that week) for a $20 fee.
Is certified data destruction included?
Not all devices require it, so this is an additional service organizations can opt for if they have compliance or audit requirements.
Your partner in secure, compliant, and sustainable electronics recycling
Bruin has been helping residents and businesses in Central New York and beyond to safely and easily dispose of their IT equipment for over 20 years.
We’re a NYS DEC-certified facility, offer asset recovery and certified data destruction services, and partner exclusively with R2-certified downstream partners.
Whatever your e-waste needs are, Bruin can help.