Denver: the E-cycle coupon program
The City and County of Denver partners with Blue Star Recyclers, a Denver-based 501(c)(3) electronics recycler, for the E-cycle coupon program. Denver residents can request one discounted coupon per household per calendar year on the official Denver Electronic Recycling page.
Drop-off is at Blue Star Recyclers, 953 Decatur Street, Denver, CO 80204. You bring your electronics and your coupon code; Blue Star verifies both your residential address and your coupon at the drop. Businesses, non-residents, and PO-box addresses are not eligible.
What the program accepts
- Televisions
- Monitors
- CPUs / desktop computers
- Laptops
- Printers, scanners, fax machines
- Keyboards and mice
- Stereos and audio equipment
- External hard drives and storage
- Cell phones and telephones
- DVRs, VCRs, DVD players
- Digital cameras and video recorders
- MP3 players
- Video game consoles
- Rechargeable batteries
- Sprinkler control boxes
- Wires and cables
- Some small appliances (e.g. microwaves, coffee makers, vacuums, blenders, toasters)
What it does not accept
- Air conditioners
- Refrigerators
- Large appliances
- Garbage disposals
- Humidifiers
- Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Pressurized canisters
- Oil or gas devices
- Fluorescent bulbs and neon signs
- Car batteries
- Single-use alkaline household batteries (rechargeable batteries are accepted)
If your item is on the second list — for example, a refrigerator or an air conditioner — the right path is Denver’s separate appliance collection program, not E-cycle. See the Denver appliance disposal guide for that.
Aurora: city-sponsored recycling events
Aurora does not participate in Denver’s E-cycle coupon. Instead, the City of Aurora sponsors periodic electronics recycling events for residents, operated by Pedal Point LifeCycle Solutions (formerly Techno Rescue) at 3251 Lewiston Street, Suite 10, Aurora. There’s a small per-vehicle fee, with additional charges for CRT and flat-screen televisions.
Most corded and battery-powered devices are accepted at these events. Aurora’s electronics recycling page (linked under Recycling Opportunities on the city site) lists current event dates, fees, and accepted items.
Other metro options
Across the Denver metro, electronics often have a few paths beyond city programs:
- Retail take-back: Best Buy, Staples, and some Apple programs accept specific electronics for free or in exchange for store credit. Acceptance varies by item.
- Manufacturer take-back: Some manufacturers run mail-back programs for their products. Apple, Dell, HP, and others have programs you can check.
- Drop-off recyclers: Pay-per-pound or pay-per-item drop-offs at Blue Star, Pedal Point, and others, used by residents who don’t qualify for the coupon or who missed an event.
When private junk removal makes sense for electronics
Private junk haulers handle electronics differently. Some accept most items and route them to a recycler; others decline TVs entirely because of disposal fees. A few notes:
- TVs almost always carry a fee. CRTs especially — they’re heavy and expensive to recycle correctly. Expect a separate per-item charge if the hauler takes them at all.
- Mixed loads make sense. If you have a TV plus a couch plus a pile of garage stuff, a private hauler will take all of it in one trip, which is often easier than three separate drop-offs.
- Apartment and condo residents. If you can’t easily drive to Blue Star or wait for an Aurora event, paying for pickup is the practical answer.
- Ask first. Mention electronics specifically when you request a quote. A reputable provider will tell you what they take, what they don’t, and any e-waste surcharge before the truck shows up.
Wipe your data first
Before you hand over any device that stores personal data — phones, laptops, desktops, external drives, tablets, even some printers — do the basics:
- Sign out of your accounts (iCloud, Google, Microsoft, email, etc.).
- Back up anything you actually need.
- Factory reset the device. On phones and tablets, a factory reset plus account sign-out is the standard. On computers, run a full reset that wipes the disk — not just a user account.
- Old hard drives: If the drive is spinning rust and old enough that you don’t trust software wipe, physical destruction (drill, hammer, or a paid shredding service) is the most reliable option.
Both Blue Star and Pedal Point physically destroy data storage during processing. That’s a real backstop — but the safer move is to wipe your own data before the device leaves your hands.