electronic waste at endless auckland
responsible recycling

E-Waste Recycling, Auckland

Not all e-waste needs a specialist — bring us the metal, we'll tell you where the rest goes.

Let us be upfront: Endless is a scrap metal recycler, not an e-waste recycler, so we do not buy or process pure electronics. But a lot of what people bring in for e-waste disposal, appliance recycling, or electronic recycling (such as cable, whiteware, appliance casings, PC towers, server racks, and electric motors) is not really e-waste at all. It is scrap metal, and we pay cash for the metal. Strip out the copper, aluminium, brass, and steel, bring it to either Auckland yard, and we will point you to a certified specialist for true electronics like circuit boards, screens, and batteries that require dedicated processing.

Visit either our scrap metal Onehunga yard or our Wairau Valley branch on the North Shore, and our team will take you through how your metallic components are valued.

The metal pays you — the e-waste doesn't. Bring us the metal, we'll tell you where the rest goes.

E-Waste or Scrap Metal? Know the Difference

Anything with a plug is not automatically e-waste. If it is bare metal (such as copper cable, an aluminium heatsink, a steel casing, a stainless bench, a fridge, or an electric motor), that is scrap, and we buy it at published market prices. Only items with a live circuit board, screen, or battery need a specialist e-waste recycler like Echo or the Abilities Group.

SiteWise Gold 2025/26 — health & safety prequalifiedSiteWise Gold certified
Toitū Carbon Reduce CertifiedToitū carbon reduce certified
AMR — Association of Metal RecyclersAMR & ReMA member
Licensed Secondhand DealerLicensed secondhand dealer

is it e-waste or scrap metal?

Not sure what you've got? Here's a quick guide. If the item has a battery, screen or circuit board inside, it's e-waste and needs specialist recycling. If it's mostly metal — even with a plug and cord — it's scrap, and we'll buy it.

e-waste — electronic devices for specialist recycling
e-waste
e-waste — laptop with cracked screen and circuit board
e-waste
scrap metal — copper windings and steel recovered from electronics
scrap metal
scrap metal — bare computer case (steel)
scrap metal

e-waste — take to a specialist

  • Computers, laptops, tablets
  • Monitors and TVs (LCD, LED, CRT)
  • Printers, scanners, copiers
  • Mobile phones and chargers
  • Gaming consoles and controllers
  • Routers, modems, networking gear
  • Cameras and camcorders
  • Circuit boards, RAM and hard drives
  • Smart speakers and streaming devices
  • Smoke alarms and CCTV electronics
  • Power tools with lithium batteries
  • Fluorescent tubes and light bulbs

scrap metal — bring to endless

  • Copper wire (stripped from cables)
  • Aluminium heatsinks and frames
  • Steel casings (PC towers, server racks)
  • DVD / Blu-ray players and set-top boxes
  • Brass connectors and fittings
  • Lead-acid batteries (UPS, vehicles)
  • Electric motor casings (steel/aluminium)
  • Whiteware (fridges, washers, dryers, ovens)
  • Small appliances — toasters, kettles, jugs (see whiteware)
  • Stainless steel sinks and benchtops
  • Copper pipe and tube
  • Aluminium cans, pots, and extrusions

still not sure what you've got?

If it has a circuit board, screen or battery it needs a specialist — if it's mostly metal, bring it to us. Not sure which way it falls? Send us a photo and we'll point you the right way.

cheaper than the transfer station

The dump and transfer station charge you to drop off a fridge, appliance, or metal load. We pay you for the metal instead. Appliance and whiteware recycling at Endless puts cash back in your pocket while supporting a circular economy.

check onehunga's scrap prices check wairau's scrap prices

Where to Recycle E-Waste in Auckland

Auckland has several dedicated e-waste recycling, electrical waste, and electronics disposal options for computer recycling, TV recycling, and phone or printer drop-off. We recommend these specialist operators, as they have the equipment, certifications and trained staff to process electronic waste responsibly.

Pick the drop-off closest to you:

Social
Enterprise
Partner
North Shore · Wairau Valley

Abilities Group — e-waste recycling with purpose

endless proudly supports the Abilities Group, a social enterprise providing meaningful employment for people with disabilities since 1959. Around 70% of their team live with a disability — your e-waste directly funds their jobs.

Abilities dismantles electronics for responsible material recovery, diverting over 4,000 tonnes from landfill annually. Circuit boards go to Japan for precious metal recovery, metals are recycled locally, and hard plastics are repurposed — nothing goes to waste.

Update: Abilities Group's public drop-off service is currently suspended while they rebuild. They are running pop-up collection events — check their website for upcoming dates and locations.

abilities.co.nz  |  09 444 0611  |  16 Kaimahi Road, Wairau Valley

NZ's
Largest
E-Waste
Recycler
Penrose · South-Central Auckland

Echo — specialist e-waste recycler

Located at 5 Southpark Place, Penrose — just 5 minutes from our Onehunga yard, Echo accepts everything from laptops and TVs to printers and mobile phones. Some items are free to drop off, others carry a small processing fee. They also offer e-waste recycling boxes that can be shipped from anywhere in New Zealand.

echotech.co.nz  |  09 525 5518  |  Mon–Fri 8:30am–5pm, Sat 9am–3pm

Council
Approved
E-Waste
Facility
East Tāmaki · East Auckland

PCB International — east auckland e-waste recycler

An Auckland Council–approved e-waste facility in East Tāmaki with a drive-in drop-off. PCB International takes computers, laptops, servers, printers, cables, phones, LCD/LED TVs and small electronics. Most items are free to drop off; CRT TVs and monitors carry a $30 fee and flat-screen TVs $15. Free pick-up for large or heavy loads within 30km.

pcb.net.nz  |  09 274 1238  |  15C Andromeda Crescent, East Tāmaki  |  Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9am–3pm

Auckland Council community recycling centres

Auckland Council operates 13 community recycling centres across the region. Most accept computers, TVs, small appliances, and household electronics — contact them directly to confirm what they take and current hours.

Central Auckland

North Shore & Rodney

South Auckland

West Auckland

Source: Auckland Council — Community Recycling Centres. Contact centres directly to confirm e-waste acceptance and hours.

find your nearest branch

Once you've stripped the metal, bring it to us. Two Auckland yards — Onehunga and Wairau Valley — both buying copper, aluminium, brass, steel, batteries and motors.

find your nearest branch

How Auckland E-Waste Gets Recycled

Endless is a specialist scrap metal recycler. We buy, process, and export clean metal grades for international markets. Electronic waste requires a completely different handling process because of the hazardous materials hidden inside everyday devices.

Specialist recyclers dismantle electronics safely, separating precious metals (gold, palladium, and silver from circuit boards), recoverable base metals (copper, aluminium, and steel), hazardous components (batteries, mercury lamps, and CRT glass), and recyclable plastics. Circuit boards are typically exported to specialist refiners for precious metal recovery.

Mixing e-waste with scrap metal creates contamination risks that can compromise entire export shipments and put yard staff at risk. That is why responsible recycling means keeping these streams separate.

What Makes E-Waste Hazardous?

Electronics contain materials that are dangerous when damaged, crushed, or exposed to heat:

  • Lithium-ion batteries: Fire and explosion risk if punctured or compressed in a scrap bale
  • Mercury: Found in LCD backlights and fluorescent tubes, toxic when released
  • Lead solder: Present on virtually every circuit board, harmful if inhaled as dust
  • Brominated flame retardants: Present in plastic casings, releasing toxic gases when heated
  • Cadmium: Found in older rechargeable batteries and some semiconductors
  • Beryllium: Used in connectors and switches, carcinogenic as dust

A single lithium battery hidden in a scrap load can ignite during baling or shipping, damaging an entire container of metal and creating a serious fire risk in our yard, in transit, or at the receiving port. It is not worth the risk to our people, our product, or our customers.

recycling a specific device?

Here's where to take common items in Auckland. For anything with a circuit board, take it to a specialist. For bare metal, bring it to us.

take to specialist
Old TV
Take to Echo (Penrose) — processing fee may apply for CRTs
take to specialist
Laptop or Desktop
Take to Echo or a Council CRC — often accepted free
take to specialist
Printer or Scanner
Take to Echo — small processing fee
take to specialist
Mobile Phone
Take to Echo or a Council CRC — usually free
we pay you
Fridge or Freezer
Bring to endless — we pay you for whiteware
we pay you
Washing Machine
Bring to endless — we pay you for whiteware
we pay you
Copper Cable
Bring to endless — we pay top prices for copper
we pay you
Server Rack
Strip the metal, bring to endless — steel + copper inside = cash

Know What Your Metal Is Worth

Copper, brass, aluminium, steel, lead-acid batteries, and electric motors all have a live price at Endless. Visit our location pages for metal recycling Auckland at Onehunga or Wairau, or check today's rates before you drop off. Get an instant quote on the phone or on the scales with no obligation.

check onehunga's scrap prices check wairau's scrap prices

still have questions?

Find what you’re looking for in the FAQs below.

No. We're a scrap metal recycler — we buy clean metal grades like copper, aluminium, brass, steel, and lead-acid batteries. Electronic waste contains hazardous materials that require specialist processing equipment we don't operate. We recommend taking e-waste to Echo in Penrose or the Abilities Group in Wairau Valley — see the drop-off locations above.

E-waste means electronics with circuit boards inside — computers, laptops, monitors, TVs, printers, mobile phones, gaming consoles, tablets, and routers. Whiteware and everyday appliances are not e-waste — we buy fridges, washing machines, dryers, ovens, small appliances like toasters and kettles, and DVD and Blu-ray players at both our yards. See our whiteware page for details. Use the sorting guide above to check whether your item is e-waste or scrap metal.

It depends on the item and where you take it. Echo in Penrose accepts some items free of charge (such as phones and small electronics) while larger items like CRT TVs and monitors carry a processing fee. Auckland Council community recycling centres accept most household electronics for free. The Abilities Group runs pop-up collection events where many items are accepted at no charge. Contact each provider directly for current pricing on your specific item.

Not for complete electronic items. However, if you've already stripped out the metal components — copper wire, aluminium heatsinks, steel casings, brass connectors — we'll buy those at our published scrap metal prices. Bring the stripped metal to either our Onehunga or Wairau Valley yard.

Lithium-ion batteries can explode if punctured or compressed in a scrap bale. Mercury, lead solder, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants contaminate metal shipments and create serious health risks for our yard staff. A single lithium battery in a scrap load can cause a fire that damages an entire shipment. E-waste must be processed separately by certified recyclers like Echo or the Abilities Group.

Yes — we buy whiteware and everyday appliances. Bring your fridges, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and ovens, plus small appliances like toasters and kettles and DVD/Blu-ray players, to either our Onehunga or Wairau Valley yard. Check our whiteware page for details on what we accept and current pricing. No need to strip them — bring them whole.

The Abilities Group is a social enterprise in Wairau Valley that provides meaningful employment for people with disabilities — around 70% of their team live with a disability. They've been operating since 1959 and are one of New Zealand's leading e-waste recyclers, diverting over 4,000 tonnes of material from landfill annually. endless proudly supports their mission. Check abilities.co.nz for current drop-off and collection details.

For electronic recycling and electronics disposal — computer recycling, TV recycling, phones and printers — take the item to a specialist like Echo in Penrose or an Auckland Council community recycling centre — see the drop-off locations above. If it's bare metal — cable, an aluminium heatsink or a steel casing — bring it to endless instead and we'll pay you for it.

For true e-waste, some items are free and some carry a fee at the specialist recyclers. But you shouldn't pay a transfer station to dump metal you can sell. Where the dump or transfer station charges you to drop off a fridge, washing machine or other whiteware, endless pays you for it — appliance and whiteware disposal here puts cash in your pocket instead of taking it. Bring bare metal, cable, lead-acid batteries and motors to either yard and check our live prices.

ready to sell your scrap metal?

call us, email us, or drop into either yard. We grade on the spot and pay same day.