General Recycling Inquiries

Polaroid has an ongoing objective to protect the environment and we encourage all of our customers to recycle their used consumer electronic items and batteries in compliance with all regulations. Please contact your local municipality for information about how and where to recycle consumer electronics in your area.

Click here for a consumer electronics recycling facility near you, or to review collection reports as required by some states. You may click here http://www.call2recycle.org/locator/ for a battery recycling facility near you.

Before recycling your old computer or electronics device, be sure to erase all personal or sensitive data from the device’s hard drive. Electronic devices, such as computers, cell phones, tablets, and digital fax and copy machines, can collect and store personal information including passwords, usernames, bank account information, credit card and social security numbers, and confidential emails. Because such personal data can reside in different hidden places on your hard drive, data destruction is important to protect yourself from the remote possibility of identity theft, data theft, or other harm if thieves gain control of your old electronics.

Simply deleting a file, emptying your computer’s “recycle bin,” or reformatting your hard drive does not completely remove data and the possibility exists that the data may be retrievable through the use of specialized software. A more secure level of data destruction can be achieved by either overwriting or physical destroying the hard drive. Overwriting can be performed at a variety of security levels and disk-wiping software can be found in both free and paid versions. The other option for secure data destruction is through physical destruction of the hard drive. This option can ensure removal of information but can also significantly reduce the device’s potential for reuse. Regardless of which method you chose, before beginning the process of data destruction, be sure to copy any data or information you would like to retain to a CD, flash drive, or other data storage device.

If you would rather have a professional handle the destruction of data, there are businesses such as electronics repair shops and many certified recyclers that offer data destruction services. Be sure to check with the recyclers about their data destruction policies before dropping off your electronic device. Even if a recycler offers data erasing services, it is still best to first conduct your own erase of the electronics hard drive.

This information is intended to illustrate the importance of data destruction and provide general information on various methods used to destroy data and properly secure a hard drive. Polaroid does not endorse any data removal services or methods and does not guarantee the quality of the service provided.


State Electronics Recycling Information

California

Residents of California please visit the California eRecycle website at https://www2.calrecycle.ca.gov/electronics/eRecycle/
Los residentes de California visitan el sitio web de eRecycle de California en https://www2.calrecycle.ca.gov/electronics/eRecycle/

Illinois

Illinois law makes electronics manufacturers responsible for the cost of recycling millions of pounds of residential electronic waste (e-waste) every year. (The law does not cover e-waste generated in non-residential sectors.)

Manufacturers must either charge nothing to individuals bringing in their equipment, or, if there is a fee, give you a dollar-for-dollar coupon you can use to reduce the cost of your new equipment.

Illinois enacted this law because residential e-waste:

  • Takes up lots of landfill space.
  • Contains toxics that can trickle into our drinking water.
  • Often ends up being exported to third world countries.


Working with collectors and recyclers that have registered with the Illinois EPA, manufacturers have set up collection sites all over Illinois. To find one close to you, go to http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/electronic-waste-recycling/consumer-education.html, a one-page fact sheet with a link to the list of sites, as well as the addresses and phone numbers of the collectors managing those sites. Call them for operating hours and the list of electronic devices accepted.

From the fact sheet (or from the link below) you can also go directly to the IEPA's e-waste website, where you'll find lists of:

Brands of electronics manufacturers in compliance with the law.

Electronic manufacturers that have chosen not to register, and who thus are prohibited from selling computers, monitors, tvs, or printers to residential customers in Illinois.

The Illinois EPA assigns an annual recycling goal to each electronics manufacturer. Once that goal is achieved, a manufacturer may charge for electronics recycling. Your local collector can tell you if free e-waste recycling is still available in your area, or if you can avoid any charges by holding equipment until the following year.

For more information, please visit the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency at http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/electronic-waste-recycling/

Maine

Residents of Maine please visit the please visit the Maine Department of Environmental Protection website at http://www.maine.gov/dep/waste/index.html.

New York

New York requires manufacturers of certain electronic devices to offer free disposal of the devices effective April 1, 2011. If your electronic device has internal memory on which personal or other confidential data may be stored, you may want to perform a data sanitization process before you dispose of your device to assure another party cannot access your personal data. Data sanitization varies by the type of product and its software, and you may want to research the best sanitization process for your device before disposal. You may also check with your local recycling facility to determine their data sanitization procedures during the recycling process.