For many items that you bring to Cohen for recycling, you will be paid cash based on the scrap value of the material(s) that item is made of and how much it weighs. However, there are some items that you will be asked to pay a small fee to recycle.
Typically, this fee is less than $1 per pound. Smaller items like a cell phone may only end up costing you a few cents, while larger, heavier items, like old big-screen TVs, can add up quickly. You can offset some or all of these costs by bringing items with cash value, like aluminum, steel, and copper, at the same time.
As of January 2020, the following items incur charges for recycling.
Fees are updated regularly and may vary, so we always recommend calling your Cohen recycling center ahead of your visit to find out the current pricing. All fees are payable in cash only.
- Refrigerators, freezers, A/C units and other appliances containing coolants: $15 per unit (not by weight)
- Alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V)
- Lithium ion and nickel cadmium batteries
- CRT monitors and TVs
- Rear projection TVs
- Flat panel TVs
- LCD monitors and TVs (fee is higher if item is damaged)
- Electronics cased in plastic (some examples: keyboards, mice, small household appliances, landline phones, video game consoles, children’s toys)
- Electronics cased in steel (some examples: stereos, DVD or VHS players, cable boxes)
- Cell phones (all types)
- Printers (all types)*
- Incomplete computers and laptops (components missing or damaged)
- Computer fans
- Docking stations for electronics
* Printers: Please remove ink and toner prior to recycling. Ink and toner cartridges are accepted at many retailers and sometimes through the original manufacturer, but they pose a fire hazard in our facility. We appreciate your help in minimizing this risk.
Why the charges? Some items require special handling or extra labor to be processed for recycling, such as manually dismantling electronics or safely draining coolant from refrigerators. In cases where the value of the item does not cover these extra costs, our fees ensure that we can responsibly recycle as many types of items as possible.
If you intend to recycle something that is not on this list, or you aren’t sure what your item qualifies as, please call us with your questions. Our main phone number is (513) 422-3696, or you may directly call the recycling center you plan to visit. All phone numbers are listed on our Locations page.
CRT (cathode ray tube) televisions must be dismantled by hand to separate hazardous components, like the leaded glass tubes, from the rest of the device. The hazardous components are then sent to a specialized facility to be safely processed for recycling.
