Managing Hazardous Waste

We protect the environment and communities by ensuring compliance with hazardous waste laws

Electronic Hazardous Waste (E-Waste)

E-Waste Home  |  E- Waste More Information  |  E-Waste Handler Requirements

Notification of Intent Fact Sheet & FAQs  |  Annual Report Fact Sheet & FAQs

E-Waste Home

E- Waste More Information

E-Waste Handler Requirements

Notification of Intent Fact Sheet & FAQs

Annual Report Fact Sheet & FAQs

What is e-waste?

Electronic waste, or “e-waste,” is any unwanted electronic device or cathode ray tube (CRT). In California, e-waste is a universal waste which is a type of hazardous waste. It is hazardous because it may contain materials such as lead and mercury. E-waste is produced by:

Households

Businesses

Government

Industry

Typical e-waste devices include, but are not limited to:

  • CRT televisions
  • LCD, OLED, and plasma televisions
  • LCD monitors, smart displays, and tablets
  • Laptops with LCD monitors
  • OLED desktop monitors, laptops, and tablets
  • Computers, computer monitors, and printers
  • VCRs
  • Portable DVD players with video screens
  • Cell phones and telephones
  • Printers
  • Radios
Examples of electronic devices: portable DVD player, Old desktop computer with CRT-containing monitor, LCD or OLED-containing desktop monitor, LCD or OLED-containing laptop computer, LCD or OLED-containing tablets, smart display, cell phone, LCD-containing television, gaming device, CRT-containing televisions.

Learn what California considers an “electronic device”

The United States is one of the largest e-waste generators in the world

United States Electronic Waste Generation Statistics: 46 pounds of e-waste was generated per person in the United States in 2022; 15.8 billion pounds of e-waste was generated in the United States in 2022; and the estimated recycling rate of e-waste in the United States was 52% in 2022.

Source: 2024 Global E-Waste Monitor Report – United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

Tackling e-waste recycling in California

The electronic device market is wide-ranging. New devices are always coming on the market. It is common for us to replace our old, used electronics with the newest versions and devices. The constant replacement of devices creates a lot of unwanted electronic products. These unwanted electronic products are “e-waste.”

E-waste is a hazardous waste. Disposing of it in landfills may harm both human health and the environment. California passed the Electronic Waste Recycling Act (EWRA) in 2003 to address this e-waste issue. The Act created a program to ensure the safe and responsible disposal of your covered electronic device (CED) waste. CEDs are a type of electronic waste.

For more information about CEDs, refer to our Covered Electronic Devices webpage. 

Find a location to dispose of your e-waste.

Protecting Californians from hazardous e-waste

E-waste in California Timeline: In 2000, the Universal Waste Rule was enacted, defining universal waste and establishing regulations for universal waste management. In 2003, the Electronic waste Recycling Act of 2003 was enacted, creating a program to support the safe and proper recycling of covered electronic devices. In 2004, the Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004 was enacted, establishing requirements for cell phone retailers to help consumers to responsibly recycle their old, used cell phones. In 2006, Household are no longer exempt from the Universal Waste Rule's prohibition on throwing electronic waste in the household trash. In 2022, the Electronic Waste Recycling Act was amended to include covered battery-embedded products (CBEPs).

Managing discarded cell phones

Discarded cell phones are a type of electronic waste so you can not discard them in the trash. To encourage recycling, California passed the Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004. This Act requires:

  • cell phone retailers to have a take-back program for a consumer’s used cell phones
  • DTSC to publish an estimated cell phone recycling rate every year.

What does this Act mean for you and retailers? Learn more from our Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004 Fact Sheet.

How is California is Doing with Recycling Cell Phones?

Note In 2022, the Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022 was signed into law. This Act requires retailers of covered batteries to take part in a stewardship program for the collection of covered batteries. Beginning in 2028, this Act will repeal the Cell Phone Recycling Act of 2004.

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For more information on the implementation of the Responsible Battery Recycling Act of 2022, visit CalRecycle’s Battery Stewardship webpage.

E-wastes are universal wastes

California considers e-waste as a one of eight types of universal waste. You may see e-waste referred to as “Universal Waste Electronic Devices,” or UWEDs for short. Universal wastes pose a lower immediate risk to people and the environment when managed properly. This allows them to be handled under more relaxed rules compared to hazardous wastes. 

Universal waste

Learn about universal waste in California.

Universal waste homepage

Universal waste fact sheet

Smashing e-waste is illegal

E-wastes contain hazardous materials. You must take them to to an authorized e-waste handler. You can not dispose of e-wastes with your household trash.

If you are not authorized, you cannot smash or destroy e-wastes. These activities could expose you to hazardous dust and debris. Smashing e-waste (and other similar activities) in places such as rage rooms is illegal in California.

The hazard of e-waste in rage rooms

To learn more about what rage rooms are and and why they are hazardous, refer to our The Hazard of Electronic Waste in “Rage Rooms” webpage.

The hazard of e-waste in rage rooms

To learn more about what rage rooms are and and why they are hazardous, refer to our The Hazard of Electronic Waste in “Rage Rooms” webpage.

Handling electronic hazardous waste

California considers “e-waste handling” and “e-waste handler” as:

  • “E-waste handling” can include the generation, collection, and/or recycling of e-waste. Handling includes hosting collection events. 
  • “E-waste handler” is a universal waste handler who generates, collects, and/or recycles e-waste in California. E-waste handler includes businesses hosting collection events. 

E-waste handlers must follow specific notification, waste management, and reporting requirements. Requirements vary depending on what type of handling activities you perform.

Note Generators are responsible for determining whether their waste is hazardous waste.

Demonstrating e-waste generation, collection, and recycling activities

If you already handle or plan to handle e-waste, you can use our online Universal Waste Electronic Devices (UWED) Notification and Reporting System to file a(n):

  1. Notice of Intent (NOI) to handle » for generation, collection, and recycling activities
  2. Annual Report » due February 1 of each year for all facilities, including collection events
  3. Export Notification

For assistance regarding the notification and/or reporting process, email us at electronicwaste@dtsc.ca.gov.

UWED Notification and Reporting System

File your NOIs, Annual Reports, and Export Notifications.

Log in

Are you interested in hosting a collection event?

For more information on hosting a collection event, refer to our collection event guidance document for what you need to do to host a collection event.

Information and resources for e-waste handlers

The links below will provide you with more in-depth information about handler requirements.

Requirements for E-Waste Handlers

UWED Dismantling FAQs

Annual Reporting Fact Sheet and FAQs

Guidance Documents for E-Waste Collectors and Recyclers

Notification of Intent Fact Sheet and FAQs

Standards for Universal Waste Handlers Regulations

Regulating California’s e-waste

DTSC regulates and enforces the hazardous waste control laws and regulations in California. The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) manages the Covered Electronic Waste (CEW) Recycling Program that was established with the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003.

California CalRecycle LogoCalRecycle’s CEW Recycling Program

For more information or if you have any questions regarding the CEW Recycling Program, contact CalRecycle at ewaste@calrecycle.ca.gov.

Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003

Learn more about the Electronic Waste Recycling Act and the Covered Electronics Waste Program on our E-Waste More Information page.

Do you have unwanted electronic devices you need to dispose of?

Find an e-waste collector or recycler near you!

CalRecycle's directory of e-waste collectors and recyclers

DTSC's directory of e-waste collectors and recyclers

Additional external resources — Find an e-waste recycler near you!

Additional external resources — Find an e-waste recycler near you!

Note DTSC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Promote e-waste recycling with our printable poster!

Print one (or both!) of these posters to inform others about e-waste and help them to locate a recycling location near them!

Printable Poster - Do not dispose of unwanted electronic waste in the trash!

Click to open and print

Printable Poster - Do not dispose of unwanted electronic waste in the trash!

Click to open and print

Links for additional e-waste information

External resources

We have compiled this list of links to external webpages that contain information that may be of interest. DTSC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

 

Contact us

For questions regarding e-waste: electronicwaste@dtsc.ca.gov

For general questions, contact the Regulatory Assistance Office:
1-800-728-6942 or RAO@dtsc.ca.gov

File an environmental concern

Last updated: January 2, 2025

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