FAQs
Got questions?
We’ve got (lots of) answers!
Whether you're an eco-curious individual or an office manager with a closet full of cables, this FAQ covers everything you need to know about how TechBack works, what we take, and why we do what we do. If you have a question, chances are it’s been asked before!
Quick Links
General Questions
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TechBack is Onondaga County’s first New York State Registered Electronics Recycler, providing secure, responsible electronics recycling for businesses and individuals throughout Syracuse, Central New York and beyond.
We combine free electronics recycling with secure data destruction, documented chain of custody, zero-landfill processing through R2-certified downstream partners, and our TechBack GiveBack program, which plants a tree for every device recycled.
From a single old laptop to a company-wide technology cleanout, we make retiring electronics simple, secure and responsible from beginning to end.
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We built TechBack around a simple idea: responsible electronics recycling should protect both your data and the planet.
That means data security isn't an add-on. Data-bearing devices enter a secure chain of custody and are processed through our restricted-access ITAD system. Business clients receive clear documentation showing what happened to their equipment. Components are reused whenever appropriate and responsibly recycled through R2-certified downstream partners when they're not. Nothing we accept for recycling is sent to landfill.
And through the TechBack GiveBack, every device recycled helps plant a tree.
It's professional IT asset disposition without making responsible recycling unnecessarily complicated or inaccessible.
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Because where your electronics end up matters just as much as getting them out of your home or building.
TechBack combines secure data handling with responsible, zero-landfill recycling. We’re a NYS Registered Electronics Recycler, maintain secure chain of custody for data-bearing equipment, and work exclusively with R2-certified downstream recycling partners to ensure retired electronics are properly reused, recovered or recycled.
And through the TechBack GiveBack, every device recycled plants a tree.
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No catch. Free recycling is at the heart of our Accessible Recycling model.
Electronics drop-off is free, and qualifying business pickups within our local service area include secure transportation, standard data destruction and project documentation at no cost.
Some specialized services, including long-distance or rush pickups, loose-drive destruction, and customized audit-grade reporting, may carry a fee. If anything about your project isn't free, we'll always tell you before scheduling.
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TechBack is located at 6464 Ridings Road in Syracuse, NY, with easy-access electronics drop-off at our facility.
Our regular drop-off hours are:
Wednesday–Friday: 8am–3pm
Saturday: 11am–2pm
Sunday–Tuesday: ClosedBusiness appointments and pickups are also available by arrangement.
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TechBack is based in Syracuse and provides free qualifying business pickups throughout Onondaga County and our local service area.
We also serve businesses throughout Central New York, the Finger Lakes Region, New York State and beyond. Out-of-area projects may include a transparent transportation fee depending on distance and volume, and we can coordinate larger multi-location and long-distance recycling projects based on your needs.
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Any organization that uses technology need a secure recycling partner.
TechBack works with businesses, healthcare organizations, professional offices, schools, nonprofits, manufacturers, financial organizations, government agencies, IT providers and companies with specialized electronics or sensitive data.
Our secure IT asset disposition process is built around documented chain of custody, restricted-access handling, NIST SP 800-88 data destruction practices and complete project documentation, making TechBack suitable for organizations with everything from everyday business data to strict internal security and compliance requirements.
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Yes!
TechBack was built to make secure electronics recycling and professional data destruction accessible to businesses of every size, whether you're retiring two office computers or two hundred.
If you only have a few items, we may recommend bringing them to our Syracuse facility rather than scheduling a pickup. Drop-off is always free, and you'll receive the same secure handling once your devices enter our process and a complete documentation package.
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Absolutely. TechBack is equipped to support large organizations, multi-department cleanouts, recurring recycling programs and projects with strict security, documentation or compliance requirements.
We provide secure chain of custody, serialized device tracking, Certificates of Data Destruction and Recycling, NIST SP 800-88 data sanitization and hard drive shredding, custom reporting and coordinated logistics based on your organization’s requirements.
The same model that makes TechBack accessible to small businesses is designed to scale for complex projects too.
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Absolutely. Free drop-off is available at our Syracuse facility with no appointment required during regular drop-off hours.
For ordinary residential electronics, just bring your accepted items and we'll take it from there, no appointment needed.
If you're dropping off equipment on behalf of a business and require Certificates of Data Destruction, Certificates of Recycling, serialized tracking or other project documentation, contact us first so we can properly set up your project and maintain the documentation you need.
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Absolutely. Our Hassle-Free Business Pickups are designed so your team barely has to think about recycling.
We handle the packing, lifting, loading and secure transportation of your electronics, with documented chain of custody from your facility back to ours. Qualifying pickups within our local service area are free, and out-of-area or specialty projects are available for a transparent fee.
Fill out our pickup request form and tell us what you've got. We'll take it from there.
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Please do! We’re a small team and you’ll always reach a real person who actually understands how our recycling process works.
Email us at hello@techback.co or give us a call at (315) 930-0093 and we'll help you figure out the best way to recycle what you've got.
What We Accept
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A lot! TechBack specializes in data-containing electronics including computers, laptops, phones, tablets, servers, storage devices and networking equipment. We also recycle a wide range of office equipment, AV equipment, medical and laboratory electronics, small household electronics, cables, power tools and more.
Basically, if it has a plug, cord or circuit board, there’s a good chance we can recycle it. See our full list of Accepted Items
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Yes. There are a few categories we aren’t equipped to safely or responsibly process, including TVs and CRTs, microwaves, refrigerant-bearing appliances, hazardous or regulated materials like radiation or gas, loose or damaged batteries, media and consumables, and certain oversized or non-electronic items. See our full list of Not Accepted Items >
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Different types of electronics require different equipment, permits and specialized downstream processing. Some contain refrigerants, mercury, radioactive components, hazardous materials or damaged batteries that require handling outside of our recycling system. Others simply fall outside the equipment our facility and recycling partners are set up to process.
Rather than accept something we can’t responsibly handle through our Zero Landfill process, we’ll tell you upfront when it needs a different recycling or disposal program.
Need somewhere to take it? Here are some local resources:
Resources on how to recycle batteries >
Resources on how to recycle lightbulbs >
Resources on how to recycle appliances > -
Of course! We recycle specialized electronics from healthcare, laboratories, manufacturing, telecommunications, IT environments and plenty of industries with equipment we’ve never seen before. That includes equipment like defibrillators, IV pumps, ultrasound equipment, spectrometers, anesthesia units, servers, networking equipment and more.
As long as the equipment doesn’t contain hazardous or regulated materials we can’t accept, there’s a good chance we can recycle it. If you have something particularly weird, reach out with a description or photo and we’ll help you figure it out.
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Yes. Electronics don’t need to work to be recycled. We’ll evaluate each item for responsible reuse, parts recovery or material recycling through our Zero Landfill process.
The exception is equipment with hazardous damage, like swollen or leaking batteries or leaking components like ink or toner. If something is badly damaged, reach out before bringing it in and we’ll let you know whether we can safely accept it.
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Even better! When equipment can be responsibly reused, we prioritize extending its useful life rather than breaking it down for raw materials.
Data security always comes first. Any embedded data-bearing media is securely processed in accordance with NIST SP 800-88 before equipment is eligible for reuse, rendering the previous data permanently unrecoverable. Equipment that isn’t suitable for reuse is responsibly recycled through our Zero Landfill process.
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Just ask. Send us the name of the item or a photo and we’ll let you know quickly. If we can’t accept it, we’ll always do our best to help you find the right place that can.
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No. In fact, we’d rather you leave it to us. Secure data destruction is included at no additional cost for data-bearing media embedded inside the electronics you recycle with TechBack.
Computers, phones, tablets, servers and other data-containing devices are secured and processed inside our controlled-access East Syracuse ITAD facility in accordance with NIST SP 800-88, rendering the data permanently unrecoverable.
Drop-Offs
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Not if you’re an individual! Stop by Wednesday–Friday from 8am–3pm or Saturday from 11am–2pm and follow the signs to the back of our building. You’ll find two dedicated parking spaces next to our easy-access recycling bins. If you need assistance, come to our lobby and we’ll be happy to help.
If you’re dropping off on behalf of a business and require chain-of-custody or recycling and data destruction documentation, please fill out our request form before arriving. We’ll set up your project and coordinate your drop-off from there.
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Once your electronics enter TechBack, we evaluate them for responsible reuse, component recovery or recycling.
All Data-containing devices are immediately secured and processed inside our controlled-access ITAD facility, where embedded data-bearing media is sanitized or physically destroyed in accordance with NIST SP 800-88 before anything moves forward.
Equipment that can be responsibly reused gets another life. Everything else is broken down and responsibly recycled through our R2-certified downstream partners as part of our Zero Landfill process.
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We take it seriously. Any data-bearing media embedded inside the electronics you recycle with TechBack is processed in accordance with NIST SP 800-88, using secure sanitization or physical destruction as appropriate to render the data permanently unrecoverable.
That applies whether the device works perfectly, hasn’t been turned on in ten years, or is completely dead. Your data is handled inside our controlled-access East Syracuse ITAD facility and securely destroyed before the device can move forward for reuse or recycling.
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No. You’re welcome to factory reset a device for your own peace of mind, but you don’t need to do anything to your data before recycling it with TechBack.
Our data destruction process is separate from a standard factory reset. Data-bearing media is processed in accordance with NIST SP 800-88 to render the previous data permanently unrecoverable, whether the device is working or not.
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No limit, no charge. Bring it on. Just double-check that everything you’re bringing is on our Accepted Items list
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That’s a lot of electronics! For most residential drop-offs, making more than one trip is the simplest option. For unusually large quantities, contact us before you start loading the car. Depending on the volume and location, we may be able to help coordinate another option.
And before you make the trip, double-check that everything is on our Accepted Items list.
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TechBack specializes in secure business electronics pickups, from an overstuffed IT closet to company-wide technology cleanouts.
We can handle the packing, loading and secure chain-of-custody transportation back to our East Syracuse facility, along with data destruction and complete project documentation. Fill out our Business Request Form and we’ll build the right plan around what you have.
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Please do. We love a good mystery tangle. Even if you’re not sure what it is anymore, chances are we can recycle it.
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Please don’t! We ask that electronics be placed carefully into the bins one at a time rather than dumped in from a bag or box. Dumping can break screens, damage batteries or other components, and create unnecessary safety hazards for our team.
Treat your electronics with care so we can too.
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Unfortunately, no. TechBack does not accept televisions or CRT devices, so please don’t leave them in or beside our recycling bins.
TVs require specialized processing outside of our recycling system. See our Not Accepted Items list >
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No. Please leave accepted devices intact. You do not need to remove hard drives, SSDs or safely installed batteries before recycling your electronics with TechBack.
In fact, leaving data-bearing media inside the device allows us to process it as part of our standard recycling service at no additional cost. Loose hard drives and SSDs are also accepted, but separate destruction fees apply.
The exception is damaged, swollen, burned or leaking batteries, which we cannot accept. If you’re unsure about the condition of a device, contact us before bringing it in.
Pick-Ups
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Qualifying business pickups within 25 miles of our East Syracuse facility are completely free, including packing, loading, secure transportation, standard data destruction and project documentation.
As a general guideline, we look for approximately 25 or more qualifying electronics for free pickup. Free pickups are scheduled based on our existing routes, so some flexibility with timing is required. We’ll match your business with an upcoming route in your area and coordinate the pickup from there.
Need a specific date, rush service, specialty handling, have a smaller load, or fall outside our free service area? We can still come to you. Premium pickup service starts at $199, with pricing based on the timing, distance and logistics involved. We’ll always confirm any fee before your pickup is scheduled.
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We serve businesses throughout Central New York! Our trucks regularly pick up electronics from organizations across Onondaga County and the greater Syracuse area, as well as Oswego, Cayuga, Madison, Oneida and Cortland counties. So whether your business is in Syracuse, Auburn, Oswego, Cortland, Utica or somewhere in between, we’d love to help you securely retire your electronics.
Our free scheduled pickup routes are centered within 25 miles of our Syracuse facility, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you’re farther away. We offer pickup service throughout Central New York, and larger collections may qualify for free service even outside our standard free zone.
Not sure where you fall? Send us what you have and where you’re located. We’ll find the easiest and most cost-effective way to get it out of your building and safely into ours.
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We can still come to you! TechBack provides secure business electronics pickups throughout Central New York and beyond, so being outside our free scheduled routes doesn’t mean you’re outside our service area.
For pickups further than 25 miles from our facility, dedicated service starts at $199, with pricing based on distance and the logistics of your project. Have a larger collection? Your pickup fee may be reduced or waived entirely based on volume.
Every pickup includes the same full-service experience: our team comes to you, packs and loads your electronics, securely transports everything back to TechBack, and handles your data destruction, responsible recycling and project documentation from there.
Just submit a Pick-Up Request Form with what you have and where you’re located. We’ll review your project and confirm your best service option and any applicable fee before anything is scheduled.
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Just fill out our Pick-Up Request Form with your location, equipment and a few photos of what we’ll be collecting. Our team will follow-up within one business day and help match you to one of our routes. We’ll take it from there (it’s called a Hassle-Free Pick-Up for a reason!)
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Absolutely. We work with businesses on recurring recycling schedules based on how quickly equipment accumulates, whether that’s monthly, quarterly, annually or simply whenever your storage area starts getting suspiciously full.
For organizations with ongoing volume, we can also provide collection bins between pickups. Tell us how your equipment moves through your organization and we’ll build a recycling schedule around your workflow.
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Yes. At collection, we provide a signed Transfer of Custody documenting the handoff of your equipment to TechBack. Your electronics then travel under secure chain of custody to our Syracuse facility, where you'll receive confirmation of their secure arrival.
After processing, your documentation package includes your Certificate of Data Destruction, Certificate of Responsible Recycling and TechBack GiveBack Impact Report, creating a clear record from transfer through final processing.
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Every pickup includes a Transfer of Custody with a basic inventory summary based on the information submitted in your Pick-Up Request Form. Once your items are processed, you’ll also receive a Certificate of Data Destruction listing the serial numbers of any hard drives destroyed.
For clients who require more detailed documentation, we offer premium asset tracking services, such as fully itemized asset lists, mapped serial numbers, asset tag logging, and other custom categorization or reporting.
These services can be added upon request for an additional fee and are ideal for organizations with strict compliance, inventory management, or audit requirements.
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That’s completely fine. TechBack works with businesses of every size, and you definitely don’t need a truckload to work with us.
As a general guideline, dedicated free pickups are designed for approximately 25 or more qualifying electronics within our local service area. If you have fewer, submit a request anyway. We may be able to combine your pickup with another nearby route and keep it free.
For very small quantities, free drop-off at our Syracuse facility is usually the easiest option. Business clients can still receive the same secure data destruction and project documentation when their drop-off is arranged in advance.
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Even better. We handle large technology cleanouts, multi-department projects, palletized equipment and recurring recycling programs.
Start with our Pick-Up Request Form so we can understand the volume, equipment, access requirements and documentation your organization needs. From there, we’ll work with you directly to plan the collection, transportation, data handling and reporting around your operation.
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Nope. Just consolidate everything into one accessible area before we arrive. Our team handles the packing, loading and secure transportation of your electronics.
Already have everything palletized? We’ll love you for it. Just note that on your Pick-Up Request Form so we can arrive with the right equipment.
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Before pickup day, please consolidate your electronics into one room or designated area whenever possible. The photos requested on our Pick-Up Request Form help us understand the volume and access conditions so we arrive with everything needed to secure and remove your equipment efficiently.
More electronics appeared after you submitted the form? That's normal. We’ll be in touch before your pick-up to ensure the transfer of custody reflects final assets.
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Absolutely. A scheduled TechBack pickup is a great opportunity to extend secure, responsible electronics recycling to your entire team.
Before your pickup, we can help you organize a separate employee collection so your team can bring eligible electronics from home without mixing personal devices into your company’s recycling project. We provide materials to help you communicate the opportunity internally, including what employees can bring and how to participate.
Employee electronics are kept separate from your company equipment and processed as their own collection, so personal devices never become mixed into your organization’s asset records, chain of custody, or data destruction documentation.
But their impact does count. Because your organization made that recycling possible, the electronics collected from employees are included in your overall TechBack GiveBack Impact Report, giving your company credit for the additional environmental impact it helped create.
It’s an easy way to turn a routine technology cleanout into a company-wide sustainability initiative, while keeping your corporate recycling project secure, organized, and completely separate.
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Chain of custody begins the moment we take possession of your equipment and continues through final data destruction and recycling.
At pickup, we issue a signed Transfer of Custody documenting the handoff to TechBack.
Equipment is packed, secured and transported directly by our insured team to our East Syracuse facility.
Upon arrival, data-containing devices are immediately secured inside our controlled-access ITAD processing area, accessible only to authorized personnel and monitored by continuous video surveillance.
Data-bearing media remains under TechBack’s control while it is sanitized or physically destroyed in accordance with NIST SP 800-88.
Your final documentation records the data destruction and responsible recycling completed for your project.
From pickup through destruction, your data-bearing equipment remains within a documented, controlled process designed to prevent loss, unauthorized access or unnecessary third-party handling.
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No. You don’t need to remove asset tags, inventory labels or company branding before we arrive. We handle debranding as part of equipment processing when appropriate.
If your organization has specific requirements around asset tags, identifying labels or proof of debranding, let us know when you request service so we can incorporate them into your project.
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No problem. We’re fully insured and happy to provide a COI for your building or property manager. Just note the requirement on your Pick-Up Request Form and upload any specific instructions, certificate-holder information or additional-insured requirements.
Need our insurance information for pre-approval? We’re happy to provide that too. We've got you (and your building) covered.
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Yes. Rush, off-hours, specialty and long-distance pickups are available when scheduling allows. These services may carry an additional fee based on the timing, distance and logistics involved.
Tell us what you need on your Pick-Up Request Form and we’ll confirm availability and pricing before scheduling.
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Absolutely. Business clients can bring electronics directly to our East Syracuse facility and still receive complimentary standard data destruction and project documentation.
If you require business documentation, submit a Request Form at least one business day before arriving so we can create your project and prepare for your drop-off. Once your equipment is transferred to TechBack, it enters the same secure ITAD process as equipment collected through a Business Pick-Up.
Business drop-offs are available Wednesday–Friday from 8am–3pm and Saturday from 11am–2pm, with other arrangements sometimes available by appointment.
Data-Destruction & Security
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Yes. Secure NIST SP 800-88 compliant data destruction is included at no additional cost for data-bearing media embedded inside the electronics your business recycles with TechBack.
That includes the secure handling, processing and standard serialized Certificate of Data Destruction documenting the outcome. When physical destruction is the appropriate method, hard-drive and solid-state media shredding inside our facility is included too.
Loose drives, specialized destruction requirements, per-device DoD/NIST reporting, asset-to-drive mapping, visual verification and other advanced services carry additional fees.
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Obsessively. We purpose built our Syracuse facility around protecting it.
Every data-bearing device is immediately secured inside our fully enclosed, private ITAD processing space, accessible only to authorized, HIPAA-trained personnel. Individual client lockers provide another layer of containment, while eight security cameras continuously monitor intake, storage and destruction areas.
And unlike recycling models that send data-bearing equipment elsewhere for destruction, NIST SP 800-88 compliant sanitization and physical destruction happen right here inside TechBack under our control. Once your data arrives, it never leaves again.
Then we document it. Every business project receives a unique job number and an audit-ready record following your equipment from transfer through final data destruction and responsible recycling.
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Every data-bearing device is evaluated and processed using the appropriate NIST SP 800-88 compliant destruction method for its media type, condition and security requirements. Depending on the equipment, that may include secure sanitization or complete physical destruction. Either way, the result is the same: your data is permanently unrecoverable.
When physical destruction is appropriate, TechBack operates an industrial dual-chamber shredder inside our secure ITAD facility, with separate cutting chambers engineered for traditional hard drives and solid-state media. Data destruction takes place under monitored conditions without unnecessary third-party handling or transport.
Every drive processed as part of a business project is documented on your complimentary Certificate of Data Destruction, including its serial number and destruction date.
Have a specific destruction policy or compliance requirement? Tell us before your project begins and we’ll build the appropriate destruction and documentation protocol around it.
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No. Once data-bearing equipment reaches our Syracuse facility, its data does not leave again.
NIST SP 800-88 compliant sanitization and physical destruction are performed inside our controlled ITAD processing space under monitored conditions. That eliminates unnecessary transportation and third-party handling of intact data-bearing media.
After the data is permanently destroyed, recyclable materials can safely move into our Zero Landfill downstream recycling network.
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We designed our process so your data remains protected from the moment we take custody until destruction is complete. Security isn't a single step at TechBack. It's the entire chain.
1. DOCUMENTED TRANSFER OF CUSTODY
Your project begins with a signed Transfer of Custody documenting the handoff to TechBack. Equipment is secured and transported directly by our insured team to our East Syracuse facility, creating a documented chain of custody from your organization to ours.
2. FULLY ENCLOSED ITAD PROCESSING
Data-bearing devices are immediately secured inside our fully enclosed, private ITAD processing space rather than stored in an open warehouse environment. Individual client lockers provide an additional layer of containment while equipment awaits processing.
3. CONTROLLED ACCESS
Only authorized, HIPAA-trained personnel are permitted inside the ITAD processing area. Sensitive equipment remains within this controlled environment throughout data processing.
4. CONTINUOUS VIDEO OVERSIGHT
Eight security cameras monitor intake, storage and destruction areas, creating a continuous visual record of secure handling throughout the process.
5. NIST SP 800-88 DATA DESTRUCTION
Data-bearing media is sanitized or physically destroyed using the appropriate NIST SP 800-88 compliant method. Both sanitization and physical destruction are performed inside our facility under monitored conditions, eliminating unnecessary transport or third-party handling. Once your data arrives, it never leaves again.
6. AUDIT-READY DOCUMENTATION
Every business project receives a unique job number and complete documentation following your equipment from transfer through final destruction and recycling, including a Certificate of Data Destruction with serialized reporting for the data-bearing media processed.
We secure it. We destroy it. We document it.
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TechBack's data destruction program is built around NIST SP 800-88, the recognized federal guidance for secure media sanitization and destruction. Data-bearing media is processed using NIST-compliant methods appropriate to the media type, condition and security requirements.
Our internal handling procedures incorporate HIPAA-aligned safeguards, including HIPAA-trained personnel, restricted facility access, documented chain of custody and controlled processing of sensitive equipment.
Our security procedures are also modeled around established NAID operational best practices for secure handling, transport and destruction. And once data destruction is complete, recyclable materials move through R2-certified downstream partners for responsible processing within our Zero Landfill system.
If your organization has a specific regulatory, legal or internal security requirement, tell us. We can build the appropriate destruction and documentation protocol around your project.
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A lot. Documentation isn't an add-on at TechBack. It's part of the process.
Every business project is assigned a unique job number that follows your equipment from transfer through final data destruction and responsible recycling. Your standard documentation package includes:
Signed Transfer of Custody documenting the handoff to TechBack
Secure Arrival Confirmation confirming your equipment reached our controlled facility
Certificate of Data Destruction with serialized destruction records
Certificate of Responsible Recycling documenting Zero Landfill downstream processing
TechBack GiveBack Impact Report documenting the trees planted through your project
Together, these create a clear, audit-ready record of what happened to your equipment after it left your hands.
Need deeper reporting? Asset-to-drive mapping, per-device DoD/NIST reporting, photographic or video destruction verification, custom audit documentation and personalized ESG reporting are also available.
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Data-bearing equipment is secured immediately upon arrival. Once your project reaches our Syracuse facility, you'll receive a Secure Arrival Confirmation and your equipment is placed inside our controlled ITAD processing space, with individual client containment until processing is complete.
From there, data-bearing media moves through our documented NIST SP 800-88 destruction workflow. Standard projects are completed from intake to final certificate package in an average of 10 business days.
Have a required destruction deadline? Expedited processing and dedicated destruction services are available for organizations with heightened security, legal or compliance requirements. Let us know before scheduling and we'll build the appropriate turnaround into your project.
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Yes. Before recycling an Apple device, please remove your Apple ID and disable Find My so the device is no longer protected by Activation Lock.
Apple’s security architecture can lock much more than the information stored on the device. On many modern Apple products, Activation Lock is tied to the device at the hardware level, restricting access to integrated parts and preventing otherwise usable components from being processed or recovered.
Your data is still securely destroyed through TechBack’s standard data destruction process whether or not you reset the device. Removing your Apple ID is about unlocking the hardware so we can responsibly process as much of the equipment as possible instead of unnecessarily destroying components that could otherwise remain useful.
Not sure how to remove Activation Lock? We’re happy to help, and our Knowledge Center has a step-by-step guide to preparing your Apple device for recycling.
And I would not mention selling, resale value, finding the device a new owner, or “preserving reuse options” anywhere in this answer. The message is: Apple's lock extends into the hardware ecosystem; remove it so TechBack can properly process the equipment and its components. Data destruction is handled by us regardless.
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Our secure ITAD processing area is strictly limited to authorized personnel, so clients and visitors are not permitted to enter the space. That restriction is intentional. Data-bearing equipment entrusted to TechBack remains inside a controlled environment throughout processing, and we don’t make exceptions to those access controls for tours.
But we believe security and transparency should go hand in hand. If your organization needs a closer look at our facility or security controls as part of its vendor review or due diligence process, we’re happy to provide a controlled video tour of the ITAD space and walk you through our intake, storage, data destruction and documentation procedures.
We’ll show you how we protect your data. We just won’t compromise that protection to show you.
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Because our ITAD processing area is a restricted, access-controlled security environment, we do not allow clients or visitors inside the space or permit live virtual streaming of destruction events. This protects the confidentiality and security of every client whose data-bearing equipment may be present in our facility.
However, we understand that some organizations require visual or physical verification of destruction for compliance, legal, audit or internal reporting purposes.
For those organizations, TechBack offers premium verification services including:
Dedicated destruction runs scheduled specifically for your assets
Video documentation of your destruction process
Photographic destruction verification
Return of shredded drive remnants when physical confirmation is required
Custom destruction reporting when additional documentation is required
These services give your organization additional evidence of destruction without compromising the strict access controls protecting our secure ITAD environment or other clients’ equipment.
Tell us what your compliance or verification requirements are and we’ll build the appropriate level of documentation into your project.
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Yes. Our standard data destruction program follows NIST SP 800-88 and includes serialized destruction documentation at no additional cost for qualifying embedded data-bearing media.
For organizations that require individual drive-level sanitization reports, we also offer premium per-device processing using DoD 5220.22-M and NIST SP 800-88 compliant methods. Each drive receives an individual audit report documenting its serial number, sanitization method, verification result and processing date.
If your organization has a specific destruction standard written into its security policy, let us know and we'll help determine the appropriate service and documentation.
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Yes. Serialized data destruction reporting is included with our standard business service. Your Certificate of Data Destruction records the serial number and destruction date for each drive processed as part of your project.
Need to know which drive came out of which computer? That's where our premium asset-to-drive mapping comes in. We can connect drive serials to device serial numbers, asset tags, departments or custom categories for organizations requiring deeper audit-level traceability.
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Yes. If your organization's policy requires physical possession of destroyed media, we can securely return shredded drive remnants following destruction. This is available as a premium verification service.
Otherwise, destroyed media remains within our Zero Landfill recycling stream and is responsibly processed through our R2-certified downstream partners.
Responsible Recycling
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R2 stands for Responsible Recycling, and its current standard, R2v3, is the leading industry certification for electronics recycling in the United States. Managed by Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI), R2 sets rigorous environmental, health and safety, data security, and downstream accountability requirements for how electronics are handled, dismantled, recycled and reused.
At TechBack, we work exclusively with R2-certified downstream processors. That's a deliberate commitment. There are cheaper ways to move electronic material downstream, but we don't use them. Every recycling partner we choose must meet R2's rigorous requirements so that the responsibility we take for your electronics doesn't end when they leave our facility.
R2-certified processors are required to:
Maintain accountability for materials through downstream processing
Safely manage hazardous electronic components
Maintain strict controls designed to prevent improper disposal and illegal export
Vet and manage their own downstream recycling chain
Meet rigorous environmental, health, safety and data-security requirements
That standard costs us more. We choose it anyway. It's one of the ways we're able to stand behind our Zero Landfill commitment and know that the electronics entrusted to TechBack continue through a responsible recycling chain after they leave our hands.
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Yes. TechBack is proud to be Onondaga County’s first New York State DEC Registered Electronics Recycler, registration #01536.
Registration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation means our operation is part of the state's regulated electronics recycling system, with required recordkeeping and reporting that creates accountability for the electronics we handle and where recyclable materials go downstream.
For our business clients, that accountability goes even further. Every project receives its own documentation package showing the transfer, secure data destruction and responsible recycling of your equipment, so you have your own record of what happened after your electronics left your hands.
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Because responsible recycling requires accountability beyond our own loading dock. TechBack works with vetted R2-certified downstream recycling partners that are required to maintain controls over how electronics and recovered materials continue through the recycling chain.
We also maintain the downstream records required as a New York State DEC Registered Electronics Recycler, creating accountability for where the materials we collect are sent for processing.
Our Zero Landfill commitment means accepted electronics don't simply disappear into an unknown waste stream. Reusable equipment is responsibly prepared for another life, and end-of-life materials move through vetted recycling channels designed to recover usable commodities and safely manage hazardous components.
For business clients, we document that process with a Certificate of Responsible Recycling for your project.
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More than you might think. Electronics contain valuable materials including copper, aluminum, steel, precious metals, plastics, glass and specialized materials used in circuit boards, motors, wiring, batteries, displays and other components.
Once equipment reaches the end of its useful life, those materials can be separated and sent into specialized recycling streams where they can become feedstock for new products instead of being buried as waste.
That matters because recovering existing materials reduces demand for virgin mining and manufacturing while keeping valuable resources in circulation. It also keeps hazardous components from ending up where they can contaminate soil, air or water.
TechBack handles the secure intake and preparation of your electronics, then works with specialized R2-certified downstream processors to carry those materials through the appropriate recovery streams.
Learn more about all of the resources recycling with TechBack recovers on our Why Recycle page.
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It means accepted electronics entrusted to TechBack stay out of the landfill.
We prioritize responsible reuse when equipment can safely continue its useful life. When it can't, devices are broken down into recoverable material streams and processed through vetted R2-certified downstream recycling partners. Components requiring specialized handling continue through appropriate controlled processing rather than being discarded as ordinary waste.
Zero Landfill isn't just about what happens inside TechBack. It requires knowing what happens downstream too, which is why our recycling network and documentation are such an important part of the process.
For business clients, we back that commitment with a complimentary Certificate of Responsible Recycling documenting your project's Zero Landfill processing.
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Often, yes. The most responsible thing we can do with technology that still has useful life is keep it in use. Manufacturing electronics requires enormous amounts of energy, raw materials and mined resources, so extending the life of existing equipment can prevent unnecessary demand for new production.
And reuse doesn’t stop just because a device does. Even when equipment no longer functions, it may contain components that do. That’s why we evaluate electronics for both whole-device reuse and component recovery before they move into material recycling. A device that has reached the end of its life doesn’t necessarily mean every part inside it has.
Data security always comes first. Any data-bearing equipment must complete our secure NIST SP 800-88 process before it or its components can become eligible for reuse.
When there’s no responsible reuse path left, the equipment moves into material recovery through our Zero Landfill recycling system. Either way, the goal is the same: keep technology and the valuable resources inside it in productive use for as long as possible.
And every qualifying device recycled with TechBack plants a tree through TechBack GiveBack.
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We track our downstreams. As a New York State Registered Electronics Recycler, TechBack maintains records documenting the processors receiving the electronics and materials moving out of our facility. We don't simply hand equipment to the next truck and consider the job finished.
Our recycling partners are vetted for the materials they handle, and we work with R2-certified processors for responsible downstream recycling. That creates accountability beyond TechBack and allows us to understand how your electronics continue through the recycling chain.
Business clients receive their own Certificate of Responsible Recycling, giving your organization documented proof that its equipment entered TechBack's responsible recycling process.
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Absolutely. Electronics require metals, minerals, plastics, energy and water to manufacture. Recovering materials from existing devices keeps valuable resources in circulation and reduces the need to continually extract virgin materials from the planet.
Responsible recycling also keeps hazardous electronic components out of ordinary waste streams, where metals and other contaminants can create long-term risks to soil and water.
Reuse goes even further by extending the useful life of equipment that has already been manufactured. That's why TechBack prioritizes responsible reuse first, component reuse next, material recovery last, and Zero Landfill processing throughout the entire system.
Then we go one step further: every device recycled through TechBack plants a tree through TechBack GiveBack.
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Yes. Every TechBack business project includes documentation designed to turn responsible recycling into something your organization can actually verify and share.
Your complimentary Certificate of Responsible Recycling documents your Zero Landfill recycling, while your TechBack GiveBack Impact Report captures the measurable impact created through your project, including the trees planted through our one-device, one-tree commitment.
We also provide shareable materials that make it easy to communicate that impact with your employees, customers or community. And if your organization has specific sustainability, ESG or communications goals, we’re always happy to work with you on custom reporting and content.
A big part of responsible recycling is helping more people understand why it matters. We believe organizations doing the right thing should be able to talk about it, and we’re always happy to help you find meaningful ways to share your impact, educate others and encourage more responsible technology recycling.
TechBack GiveBack and ESG
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Because technology takes resources from the planet, and we wanted recycling it with TechBack to put something tangible back. The future shouldn’t come at the cost of the planet.
Electronics recycling already helps keep valuable materials in circulation and harmful components out of landfills. Through TechBack GiveBack, we take that impact one step further by planting one tree for every device recycled with us. It lets one environmental action support another: reducing electronic waste while helping fund reforestation.
Through our reforestation partnership, those trees support projects working to restore forests and ecosystems in areas where they're needed. It’s a simple idea at the heart of TechBack: your old technology should be able to do some good on its way out.
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It's simple: for every device recycled through TechBack, we fund the planting of one tree. Working or not, every qualifying device counts. There's nothing to sign up for and no additional fee. It's built into the way we operate.
For businesses, we track that impact as part of your recycling project and include a complimentary TechBack GiveBack Impact Report showing the number of trees your organization helped plant. We also provide shareable materials so you can bring that impact back to your employees, customers or community.
One device out. One tree in.
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Yes. Business clients receive a complimentary TechBack GiveBack Impact Report showing the number of trees their recycling project helped plant. For organizations that recycle with us regularly, we can also track cumulative impact across multiple projects so you can see what your recycling adds up to over time.
Individual drop-offs contribute to TechBack GiveBack too. While we don't currently issue individual impact reports for household drop-offs, every qualifying device still counts toward our collective impact.
We'll also be sharing TechBack's broader environmental progress through our annual impact reporting, beginning with our 2026 Environmental Impact & ESG Report.
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Yes! We provide a Techback GiveBack report for all of our business clients. At the moment we are unable to provide individual GiveBack reports for every individual drop-off. Please sign up for updates on impact tracking and community progress.
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Absolutely not. TechBack GiveBack is an addition to responsible recycling, never a substitute for it.
Our first responsibility is to handle the electronics themselves correctly: protect the data they contain, prioritize responsible reuse when appropriate, recover valuable materials, and keep accepted electronics out of landfills through our exclusively R2-certified downstream recycling network.
Only then does GiveBack add another layer of environmental impact by funding one tree for every qualifying device recycled.
We don't plant trees to make irresponsible recycling look green. We plant trees because we believe responsible recycling can do even more.
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We don't think environmental claims should require a leap of faith. That's why TechBack GiveBack is deliberately simple and measurable: one qualifying device recycled, one tree funded.
For business projects, we count the devices and document the resulting GiveBack impact. And GiveBack isn't being used as a substitute for responsible recycling. Your electronics still move through our Zero Landfill system using exclusively R2-certified downstream recycling partners. Reuse, responsible material recovery and downstream accountability come first. The tree is additional impact, not permission to recycle irresponsibly.
We're also beginning annual environmental impact reporting in 2026 so we can publicly measure our own progress over time.
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Yes. Every TechBack business recycling project includes environmental impact documentation that can support your organization's sustainability, ESG or CSR reporting.
Your complimentary TechBack GiveBack Impact Report documents the reforestation impact associated with your project, while your Certificate of Responsible Recycling provides a record of your Zero Landfill electronics recycling through our responsible downstream network.
For organizations with more advanced reporting needs, we can also provide customized project data such as device counts, recycling weights, cumulative recycling activity and other measurable information available through your TechBack projects. We’re happy to work with your sustainability team to provide the documentation and project data that best supports your own reporting framework.
TechBack is also developing our first annual Environmental Impact & ESG Report for 2026, where we'll report on our own environmental performance and collective impact.
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Please do! A big part of responsible recycling is helping more people understand why it matters, and we love helping our clients turn their own recycling projects into opportunities to educate and inspire others.
Business projects include shareable impact materials designed to make it easy to communicate what your organization accomplished. You're also welcome to reference your work with TechBack in sustainability reports, internal communications, social content, newsletters, PR or other environmental initiatives.
Have something specific in mind? Tell us. We're always happy to work with our clients on custom content, project information or impact materials that help you tell the story accurately and meaningfully.
About Us
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We’re a small but mighty team who grew frustrated with the broken state of electronics recycling: overpriced vendors, confusing systems, limited access, and almost zero transparency.
We saw how much retired technology businesses were forced to stockpile simply because secure recycling and data destruction were too expensive, too complicated, or too difficult to access. And we saw a bigger problem underneath it: doing the responsible thing with old technology was often harder than doing nothing at all.
So we built TechBack to change that. Today, we’re Onondaga County’s first New York State DEC Registered Electronics Recycler, combining secure ITAD processing, NIST SP 800-88 compliant data destruction, documented chain of custody, Zero Landfill recycling, and exclusively R2-certified downstream processing into one accessible service. For most businesses, we do all of it for free.
But accessibility doesn't mean lowering the standard. We built our Syracuse facility around the kind of security, accountability and documentation organizations should expect from an ITAD partner, while making that level of service available to businesses that might otherwise never have access to it.
We’re local, impact-first, and still guided by the idea that started all of this: make the right thing the easy thing, without compromising security or environmental responsibility to get there.
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TechBack was founded by Sasha and George, a team who spent more than 40 years combined working alongside some of the world’s biggest technology companies. Before TechBack, we helped bring new devices to market for brands including Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo, HP, and Samsung. After decades spent helping the tech industry introduce what comes next, we became increasingly interested in a different question: what happens to all the technology being left behind?
That question eventually became TechBack. We took what we knew about technology, business, brand experience, and the expectations companies have for professional partners and applied it to an industry we believed could be much more accessible, transparent, secure, and human.
Today, TechBack is still owner-operated, and we’re deeply involved in the day-to-day business. If you call, email, schedule a pick-up, or stop by our Syracuse facility, there’s a good chance you’ll be interacting directly with one of us. We know our clients, we know what happens inside our facility, and we’re personally invested in making sure the experience lives up to the company we set out to build.
We’ve grown a small team around us who share that same commitment, but TechBack remains very much what it was from the beginning: a company built by people who spent decades helping shape the technology lifecycle and decided it was time to take responsibility for the other end of it.
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Central New York has no shortage of thriving businesses, healthcare organizations, schools, manufacturers, nonprofits, and households generating retired technology. What it lacked was an easy, local way to recycle that technology with the level of data security, environmental accountability, and transparency it deserves.
We saw an opportunity to build that infrastructure here instead of accepting that electronics had to be stockpiled, thrown away, or shipped off to a company hundreds of miles away with little visibility into what happened next. So we built TechBack in Syracuse and became Onondaga County’s first New York State DEC Registered Electronics Recycler.
Being local also lets us make responsible recycling genuinely accessible. Businesses can work directly with the people handling their equipment. Residents can bring old technology straight to our facility. Organizations throughout the area can host recycling drives, schedule pickups, and actually see where their electronics go.
We’re proud to be building something Syracuse didn’t have before, and even prouder that businesses and communities across Central New York no longer have to look somewhere else for it.
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Because we don't ask you to trust us based on a promise. We built TechBack around systems that create accountability.
TechBack is Onondaga County's first New York State DEC Registered Electronics Recycler, registration #01536. Our Syracuse facility includes a fully enclosed, access-controlled ITAD processing environment built specifically for secure handling of data-bearing technology. Equipment is protected through documented chain of custody, controlled access, continuous video oversight, secure client storage, and NIST SP 800-88 compliant data destruction performed under our control.
Every business project is tracked from transfer of custody through final destruction and recycling, with documentation including serialized Certificates of Data Destruction, Certificates of Responsible Recycling, and environmental impact reporting.
And our standards don't stop at our own door. We work exclusively with R2-certified downstream recycling partners, even though doing so costs us more, because responsible recycling means taking responsibility for what happens after materials leave TechBack too.
We're fully insured, locally owned, and obsessive about doing this correctly. No shortcuts. Your data is protected, your electronics are responsibly recycled, and we give you the documentation to prove both.
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Our free recycling services are funded primarily through responsible materials recovery and the secure reuse of eligible equipment.
Electronics contain value, whether that's an entire device that can responsibly be given another life, a working component that can be recovered and reused, or materials such as copper, aluminum and other commodities that can be reclaimed through recycling. Instead of relying on high recycling fees, our model is designed to recover that value responsibly and use it to help fund the service.
That's what makes Accessible Recycling possible: our core service can remain free while still including the secure data destruction, responsible downstream recycling and documentation businesses need.
Some organizations also require specialized services beyond our standard program, such as advanced audit reporting, per-device sanitization reports, dedicated destruction runs or custom project requirements. Those premium services carry fees.
So yes, we're a real business. We just built the economics differently.
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We built the business around it.
Zero Landfill isn't a marketing campaign we added to TechBack. It's a constraint we put on ourselves. We work exclusively with R2-certified downstream recycling partners even when cheaper outlets are available. We prioritize responsible reuse before material recycling. We plant one tree for every device through TechBack GiveBack. And beginning in 2026, we're measuring and reporting our own environmental impact so we're accountable for the claims we make.
Those choices aren't always the cheapest or easiest way to run an electronics recycling company. We make them anyway because environmental responsibility isn't something we want TechBack to advertise. It's something we want the business itself to demonstrate.
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Recycle with us. Tell your friends. Mention us to your office manager, realtor, accountant, lawyer, doctor, school, workplace, or anyone else with a closet full of old technology. And if you had a great experience, leave us a review.
For a local company, positive reviews and word of mouth are two of the most powerful ways to help other people discover that secure electronics recycling is actually accessible. Most people still don't know what to do with old technology. We've heard the horror stories about laptops in garbage cans, and we've seen the closets full of equipment nobody knows how to get rid of.
We're trying to change that. Every person who talks about responsible electronics recycling helps someone else learn that their devices don't need to sit in a closet forever or end up in a landfill.
So if you love what we're doing, help us make responsible recycling normal. We'll take it from there.
Industry & Partnerships
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Absolutely. Schools, nonprofits, libraries, houses of worship and community organizations are an important part of what we do. Our Accessible Recycling program makes secure electronics recycling available to organizations that shouldn’t have to choose between responsible disposal and their budget.
Organizations can recycle directly with TechBack through our free drop-off and qualifying pickup services, and for institutions with ongoing technology turnover, we can help establish recurring pickups and documentation processes that make responsible recycling part of your normal operations.
We also specialize in helping organizations host professional, multi-day electronics recycling drives for their employees, members, families and surrounding communities. TechBack provides the infrastructure, including secure collection equipment, custom promotional materials, transportation, NIST SP 800-88 data destruction, responsible Zero Landfill recycling and post-event impact reporting. You provide the location and help us spread the word. We handle the heavy lifting.
Thinking about hosting a drive? Our complimentary Business & Community Recycling Partnership Guide brings everything together in one shareable resource, including how our drives work, secure data destruction, environmental impact, partnership programs and what to expect throughout the planning process. It’s designed to make it easy to bring the idea to your board, leadership team, facilities staff, sustainability committee or other decision-makers before you’re ready to take the next step.
Whether you need help recycling your organization’s own technology or want to make responsible electronics recycling available to the people around you, we’d love to build something that works for your organization.
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Yes, and we make it easy to add secure electronics retirement to the services you already provide your clients.
Whether you're replacing a handful of employee laptops, managing an office-wide refresh or cleaning out equipment accumulated across multiple clients, TechBack can become the recycling and data destruction partner at the end of your IT lifecycle.
We can keep projects separated by client, provide individual documentation where required, coordinate pickups and drop-offs, and accommodate recurring recycling needs. Your clients get a secure, documented end-of-life solution without your team having to build one from scratch.
If you're looking for a long-term recycling partner rather than somewhere to unload equipment once, we'd especially like to hear from you.
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We love helping the next generation understand what actually happens to technology when we're finished with it. Schools, student groups, Scouts, environmental clubs and other organizations are welcome to contact us about educational tours of our Syracuse recycling facility.
Depending on the age and size of your group, we can build the visit around topics like electronics recycling, reuse, material recovery, data security, the circular economy and the environmental impact of technology. Because TechBack is an active recycling and secure ITAD facility, tours are structured around appropriate safety and data-security requirements.
Can't come to us? We may also be able to bring the conversation to your classroom or organization. Contact us at tours@techback.co and tell us a little about your group
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Absolutely. We regularly work with IT providers, MSPs and other organizations that need a trusted electronics recycling and data destruction partner for the businesses they serve.
You keep the client relationship. We handle the recycling. TechBack can coordinate directly with your team or client, provide secure pickups, documented chain of custody, NIST SP 800-88 data destruction, serialized project documentation, Zero Landfill recycling and environmental impact reporting.
We don't white-label TechBack or operate anonymously behind another company's name. We believe the organizations whose equipment we're handling should know exactly who has custody of it and where it's going. But we’re very happy to work alongside you as your recycling partner and make the process seamless for everyone involved.
Need documentation separated by client, location or project? Have several clients ready for recycling at once? Talk to us. We can build the workflow around your business.
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Yes! TechBack's Host a Drive program makes it easy for businesses, schools, houses of worship and community organizations to bring secure electronics recycling directly to the people they serve.
We provide the collection infrastructure, including secure lockable bins for data-containing devices, additional collection bins for general electronics, and materials to help you promote the drive. Your organization provides the location and helps spread the word. When the collection ends, TechBack picks everything up and handles secure data destruction, responsible Zero Landfill recycling and impact tracking.
Drives can be a great way to engage employees, members, customers or your surrounding community while giving people a secure place to recycle electronics they've been holding onto.
Interested? Visit our Host a Drive page to start the process and we'll help you figure out what works for your organization.
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Absolutely. If your business already has a TechBack pickup scheduled, you're welcome to turn it into an opportunity for your team too.
We can help you organize an internal employee collection before pickup day so staff can bring eligible electronics from home and add them to your company's recycling project. For larger employee collections, we can also discuss providing collection bins and materials to help you communicate what can be recycled.
It's an easy way to turn a routine technology cleanout into an employee sustainability initiative, without creating another recycling project for your team to manage.
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Absolutely. Some of our best ideas start with an organization asking, “Could we do something together?”
We work with businesses, schools, libraries, houses of worship, community organizations and sustainability groups on projects that help make responsible electronics recycling more accessible and better understood. That might mean hosting a recycling drive, organizing an employee collection, arranging an educational tour or presentation, supporting a sustainability initiative, or creating something we haven't thought of yet.
If your organization has an idea that aligns with responsible technology use, recycling, environmental education or community access, we'd love to hear it.
Tell us what you're thinking at hello@techback.co. If we can make it work, we'll figure it out together.
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Yes. We can coordinate recycling projects across multiple offices, departments or facilities while keeping equipment and documentation organized by the categories your organization needs.
That can include coordinated pickup scheduling, location-specific tracking, separate Certificates of Data Destruction or Recycling, recurring service and centralized project reporting.
Whether you're managing two offices or an organization-wide technology refresh, talk to us about the structure before the project begins and we'll build the workflow around it.
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Yes. TechBack works with public-sector organizations that need secure, documented electronics recycling without adding another complicated procurement or disposal process.
We can support technology cleanouts, recurring recycling, secure data destruction, equipment pickups and project documentation, with workflows built around your organization's security, inventory and recordkeeping requirements.
Have multiple departments, locations or a large quantity of retired equipment? Contact us before your project and we'll help structure the collection, transportation, data destruction and documentation from the beginning.
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Tell us. Seriously.
TechBack was built to make responsible electronics recycling more accessible, and we're always interested in ideas that help more people recycle securely and responsibly. If you're working on a sustainability program, community initiative, educational project, technology event or something entirely new that seems like a natural fit, we'd love to hear about it.
We can't say yes to everything, but we're always willing to hear a good idea.