Knox County Tennessee

Electronic Waste (e-waste)

NOTICE: A lot of portable electronic devices contain lithium batteries that can cause fires if damaged. Please do not throw any portable electronic devices in the trash if it is rechargeable or has a rechargeable battery. Common examples of this are hoverboards, vacuum robots, cellular phones, etc.

Recycling electronics is encouraged but it may be necessary to throw some electronics in trash containers or in other collection areas such as scrap metal. Please understand that electronic waste and recycling markets can change rapidly. What is acceptable in collection areas may change periodically based on market conditions. Pay attention to any signs that may appear announcing changes in what is accepted because anything important may be communicated with a separate sign or label.


Convenience Centers with Goodwill Operated E-waste Recycling

Four (4) Convenience Centers listed below have an area for electronic recycling. Also below is a list of what is accepted by Goodwill for e-waste recycling. Goodwill attendants will be there to clarify what is acceptable for recycling and what is not.

Goodwill E-waste Locations:

  • Dutchtown -10618 Dutchtown Road
  • Halls -3608 Neal Road 
  • Karns -6930 Karns Crossing Lane
  • John Sevier -1950 West Gov. John Sevier Highway

 E-waste Recycling Accepted:

Computer equipment, PC systems, CPUs, monitors, mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, laptops, modems, hard drives, speakers, power cords, cables, phones, powers strips, desktop copiers, fax machines, and cell phones.


E-waste Directed to Other Disposal Streams

  • televisions must be thrown in the trash containers because they are cost prohibitive to recycle. they must be placed into the blue trash containers because they are sent to class i landfills. users should use caution and bring help if needed for loading and unloading as centers are self-service
  • toasters, hair dryers, clock radios, vacuums, corded telephones, speakers, and other small electronic components may be placed in the garbage compactor or scrap metal pile depending on whether they are mostly non-metal or metal
  • home appliances such as washers, dryers, stoves, water heaters, and microwaves will be directed to be thrown into the scrap metal piles. See Scrap Metal Page for more information.
  • bulbs, lamps. See Fluorescent Bulb Page for more information.
  • See Rechargeable Battery section below.
  • refrigerant containing devices are not accepted. See Refrigerants Page for more information.

Trade-in Old Electronic Devices for Credit at Retailers

Where possible electronics should be traded in for credit when purchasing new products. Trade-in credits or free recycling for mobile devices and tablets is often available at electronic retailers.

Rechargeable Battery Recycling Area

Convenience Centers accept a variety of different batteries for recycling. Please understand that waste and recycling markets can change rapidly. What is acceptable in collection areas may change periodically based on market conditions. Pay attention to any signs that may appear announcing changes in what is accepted because anything important may be communicated with a separate sign or label.


Automotive, Motorcycle, Marine, or Lawnmower Batteries:

Automotive or lead acid batteries are collected in a cage near the center attendant office or oil collection areas.


Rechargeable, Button-Style, Tool, Phone, and Internal Home Electronic Batteries:

Standard size rechargeable batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V) button-style or hearing aid batteries are accepted in buckets labelled for battery collection. Also accepted in the buckets are batteries from power tools, mobile phones, hover boards, children’s riding toys, cordless razors, cordless toothbrushes, or other home electronic devices that contain built in rechargeable batteries. Batteries should be removed from the devices. Buckets are typically sitting next to the automotive lead acid batteries. If a battery is too large to fit in the bucket, then it should be placed in the cage with automotive batteries.


Non-Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries

Regular non-rechargeable alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, and 9V) may be thrown out as household trash. The County advises consumers to switch to rechargeable batteries. Non-rechargeable batteries may be placed in the recycling bucket, but they may be treated as contamination and disposed of later as trash.