Electronics
Confidence: high · Place: Germany · Last checked: September 2026
Electrical waste can contain hazardous substances; please do not dispose of it in your household waste.
Electrical waste (Elektroschrott)Why
- Laptops are classified as electrical and electronic equipment and must be disposed of through special waste collection.
- They contain harmful substances like lead and mercury, which must not be placed in general waste.
- In Germany, they are accepted free of charge at electrical waste collection points or recycling centres (Wertstoffhof).
The exact collection points and schedules may vary depending on your local authority.
varies by local authority (Kommune)Before you throw it away
- Remove personal data from the laptop.
- Remove the battery, if possible.
- Take the device to an electrical waste collection point or recycling centre.
What you can make from it
Laptop case as storage box
- Clean the case thoroughly.
- Remove all internal components.
- Secure a board or dividers inside for storage.
Old hard drive as external storage device
- Remove the hard drive from the laptop.
- Place it in an external enclosure.
- Connect the enclosure to your PC.