Frequently Asked Questions

Once you place your order, we email you a prepaid shipping label or QR code. You pack your devices and drop them off at any FedEx or UPS location. On arrival, devices are intake-logged with chain-of-custody tracking, then routed to our R2-certified destruction partner where they undergo NIST 800-88 destruction — hard drives degaussed and physically shredded, other components destroyed. You'll receive your Certificate of Destruction via email once partner-facility processing is confirmed.

NIST Special Publication 800-88 is a set of guidelines published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for media sanitization. It defines three levels of data removal: Clear, Purge, and Destroy. We require our partner destruction facility to use the Destroy method — physical destruction that renders media completely unrecoverable. This is the highest level of data sanitization available.

Yes — condition doesn't matter at all. Cracked screens, water damage, dead batteries, won't power on, missing parts, ancient models — all accepted. The one exception is devices with swollen, leaking, or visibly burning batteries, which require special hazmat handling. Please contact us first if you have a device in that condition.

Our free recycling program covers cell phones, tablets, laptops (all brands), Macs (MacBook, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro), and smartwatches. We pay for all shipping costs. For other devices like desktops, servers, printers, and monitors, we offer affordable destruction services or can provide a custom recycling quote through our contact form.

Your shipping label is emailed within minutes of placing your order. Once we receive your devices at our intake, they're typically routed to our partner facility within 1-2 business days. Partner destruction processing takes 3-5 business days. Your Certificate of Destruction is emailed once partner-facility processing is confirmed. Total turnaround from order to certificate is usually 7-14 business days.

Yes. Our partner facility's destruction process combines degaussing (which disrupts the magnetic field on traditional hard drives) with physical shredding into pieces smaller than 2mm. This meets and exceeds Department of Defense standards for data destruction. No known technology can recover data from media destroyed using this process.

Yes! We offer automatic volume discounts: 10% off for 5+ items, 15% off for 10+ items, and 20% off for 25+ items. Discounts are applied automatically in our pricing calculator. For orders of 50+ devices, contact us for custom enterprise pricing.

Your Certificate of Destruction includes: your name/organization, device serial numbers (when visible), device type and description, destruction method used, date and time of destruction, partner facility name and R2 certification number, and the chain-of-custody log from our intake to partner-facility processing. This document is suitable for HIPAA, SOX, FACTA, and GLBA compliance audits.

Yes. Every prepaid shipping label we provide includes a tracking number. You'll receive a confirmation email with your tracking number when we generate your label, and another notification when we receive your package at our intake.

Absolutely. We serve customers in all 50 states. Since we provide prepaid shipping with every order, your location doesn't matter — just pack up your devices and drop them off at your nearest UPS location. The majority of our customers are outside of Minnesota.

USPS shipping costs real money — between $8 and $19 depending on the device — and we pay it whether the recycling makes a profit or not. By having you cover the actual prepaid label cost, we can keep responsible recycling, battery handling, and LCD disposal free. No subscription, no upsell, no catch.

Yes — any brand, any OS. Samsung, Google Pixel, LG, Motorola, OnePlus, Nokia, Blackberry — all accepted alongside iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and Apple Watch. If it's a cell phone, tablet, laptop, or smartwatch, it qualifies for the free recycling program regardless of brand.

If you purchased a shipping label but haven't used it, contact us within 30 days and we'll issue a full refund. Once devices have been received and processed, all sales are final (we've already incurred the shipping and processing costs). Contact [email protected] for any refund requests.

Devices sent through our free recycling program are routed to our R2-certified recycling partner. Devices in working condition may be refurbished and donated. Devices that can't be refurbished are broken down into raw materials — metals, plastics, and glass — which are processed at certified U.S. recycling facilities. Nothing is shipped to informal overseas recycling operations.

Yes. Device Disposal serves government agencies, municipalities, school districts, healthcare organizations, and businesses of all sizes. We offer net-30 invoicing, purchase order support, ACH payment, and chain-of-custody documentation suitable for HIPAA, FERPA, SOX, and GLBA compliance. For bulk orders from public institutions, contact us via the For Business page to discuss custom pricing and logistics.

Visit our Refer & Earn page and enter your email to generate your personal referral code. Share it with a friend — when they use it on a recycling order, they get $2 off and you earn $2 in credit toward your next order. Credit is applied automatically at checkout when you use the same email address. There's no limit to how many friends you can refer.