Data Destruction in Houston

Where to drop off data destruction in Houston

2 local options, verified against listing sources.

• CompuCycle Houston · Free · R2, e-Stewards, ISO 14001, ISO 9001
• TechnoCycle Houston · Free · Pickup · R2, e-Stewards

Harris County household hazardous waste program

Other local programs

• City of Houston Environmental Service Center — North

  Free HHW drop-off for City of Houston residents. 5614 Neches St, Houston 77026. Hours: Monday–Saturday 8 AM–5 PM. Closed Sunday. No appointment needed. Accepts HHW, electronics, batteries, paint, automotive fluids, pesticides, fluorescent bulbs, and more.

• City of Houston Environmental Service Center — South

  Free HHW drop-off for City of Houston residents. 11500 S Post Oak Rd, Houston 77035. Hours: Monday–Saturday 8 AM–5 PM. Closed Sunday. No appointment needed. Same services as the North ESC.

• Harris County Household Hazardous Waste Facility

  Free HHW disposal for Harris County residents who live outside City of Houston jurisdiction. 6900 Hahl Rd, Houston 77040. Appointment only — Tuesdays & Wednesdays 9 AM–3 PM, 2nd & 4th Saturdays 9 AM–2 PM. Serves residents who do not receive City of Houston services/pay City taxes.

  Phone: 346-286-4299

• Harris County HazMobile Events

  Seasonal mobile HHW collection events conducted in Spring and Fall for each of Harris County's four precincts. Free for Harris County residents. Locations rotate — check county website for precinct-specific schedules.

  Phone: 346-286-4294

• Westpark Consumer Recycling Center

  City of Houston consumer recycling drop-off. 5900 Westpark Dr, Houston 77057. Monday–Saturday 8 AM–5 PM. Accepts residential electronics (computers, monitors, TVs, printers) plus paper, cardboard, metal cans, and plastic bottles. Free. No HHW — those go to the ESC locations.

  Phone: 713-837-0311

• CompuCycle — Free Residential Electronics Recycling

  Free drop-off for all consumer electronics at 8019 Kempwood Dr, Houston 77055. R2 and e-Stewards certified, processes everything in-house at its 130,000 sq ft facility. City of Houston's partnered e-waste recycler. Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM. No appliances, paint, light bulbs, or HHW.

  Phone: 713-690-2000

• Ellington Permanent E-Waste Drop-Off (City partnership)

  City of Houston partnership with CompuCycle for a permanent residential e-waste drop-off site near Ellington Airport. Free for Houston residents. Appointment required. All data destroyed. Call CompuCycle for details.

  Phone: 713-690-2000

• Call2Recycle battery drop-off (Houston)

  Free rechargeable and lithium-ion battery drop-off at participating Houston-area Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy, Staples, and other retail locations. Do NOT bring damaged, defective, or recalled (DDR) batteries to collection sites. Tape terminals before drop-off.

• Goodwill Houston + CompuCycle Partnership

  Free electronics recycling at 50+ Goodwill Houston donation centers. All e-waste processed locally at CompuCycle's R2/e-Stewards certified facility. Part of the Dell Reconnect program. Working and non-working electronics accepted.

• Texas Recycles Computers Program (TCEQ)

  State law requires computer manufacturers selling in Texas to offer free recycling of their own brand-labeled computer equipment to households. Covers desktops, laptops, tablets, monitors, and computer peripherals. Manufacturers registered with TCEQ include Dell, HP, Lenovo, Apple, and many more.

  Phone: 800-732-9253

• Texas Recycles TVs Program (TCEQ)

  TV manufacturers must register with TCEQ and file a recovery plan. Covers most consumer televisions (CRT, LCD, LED, plasma). Households can return brand-labeled TVs to the manufacturer's free takeback program.

  Phone: 800-732-9253

• AutoZone & O'Reilly — Car Battery Recycling

  Free lead-acid car battery recycling at multiple Houston-area AutoZone and O'Reilly Auto Parts locations. Core deposit refunded if buying new. Also accepts marine, motorcycle, and lawn tractor batteries.

What to know in Houston

Local rules and laws

• Texas Recycles Computers Program (30 TAC Ch. 328, Subch. I): requires computer manufacturers selling in Texas to offer free takeback recycling for their brand-labeled computers to households. TCEQ maintains an annual manufacturer list.
• Texas Recycles TVs Program (30 TAC Ch. 328, Subch. J): TV manufacturers must register with TCEQ and meet annual recycling targets. Free household takeback required by law.
• Texas does NOT have a paint stewardship law — PaintCare does not operate in Texas (as of 2026). All paint disposal must go through municipal HHW programs (Houston ESC or Harris County HHW).
• Houston City Code Chapter 39 (Solid Waste): prohibits placing hazardous household waste (including electronics, batteries, paint, chemicals) in curbside garbage or recycling carts. Violations can result in fees.
• Harris County Solid Waste Management Ordinance: regulates disposal of regulated wastes including used oil, batteries, electronics, and HHW within unincorporated Harris County.
• Texas Health & Safety Code Ch. 361.106: prohibits improper disposal of lead-acid batteries, waste oil, and used oil filters. Applies statewide.
• Texas Administrative Code Title 30 (Environment) Ch. 335: enforces Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) standards for hazardous waste management including small quantity generator rules for businesses.
• Houston's Reuse Warehouse Program: accepts reusable building materials, furniture, and household goods at the ESC locations. Operated by the Solid Waste Management Department.

Useful local details

• Houston has TWO separate HHW programs serving different populations: City of Houston residents use the North/South ESC (free, no appointment needed, Mon–Sat 8–5), while unincorporated Harris County residents use the Hahl Rd facility (appointment only, Tue/Wed/Sat). Know your jurisdiction!
• Texas has NO PaintCare program — unlike neighboring states or Washington/Colorado/Oregon where you can drop paint at hardware stores, Houston residents must take ALL paint to the ESC or Harris County HHW. This is a major difference residents need to know.
• CompuCycle (8019 Kempwood) is a unique local resource — R2 and e-Stewards certified woman-owned business that processes ALL electronics recycling in-house. City of Houston relies on them for e-waste events. Free residential drop-off.
• The ESC facilities have a Reuse Warehouse where reusable items (furniture, building materials, household goods) are available for free to the public — essentially a city-run free store, little-known but popular with DIYers.
• Houston is the largest US city without zoning — this can make it hard to find specific recyclers using commercial address patterns. Navigate by major intersections and neighborhoods.
• Hurricane season (June–November) impacts HHW operations — facilities may close during storms and events like Hurricane Harvey (2017) and Beryl (2024) drove massive storm-related HHW collections.
• The Harris County HHW facility at Hahl Rd (290 & Gessner area) has very limited hours — only Tue/Wed plus select Saturdays — and requires an appointment. Plan ahead: spots fill up.
• Houston 311 (dial 3-1-1 or submit online) can provide HHW guidance and help schedule services. The 311.houstontx.gov site has a solid waste section with HHW info.
• Best Buy in Houston charges $29.99 for TVs over 50" — typical for the retailer nationwide. CRTs may have additional fees. Three items per household per day limit applies.
• Louisiana and Oklahoma do not have e-waste laws either, making Texas's TCEQ manufacturer programs the only formal electronics recycling framework in the region.

Related Houston guides

• Computer Recycling in Houston →
• CRT Monitor Recycling in Houston →
• Printer Recycling in Houston →
• Small Appliance Recycling in Houston →