Can I recycle a damaged phone or a swollen battery in the US? – Support (North America)

Our Reuse and Recycle Program accepts old phones with normal outer wear and tear, but compromised or loose lithium-ion batteries are strictly prohibited in parcels due to transit safety regulations. Use these guidelines to determine if your phone or battery can be mailed safely.

Do not ship swollen, bloated, loose, or leaking batteries under any circumstances. Shipping hazardous batteries via standard mail presents a severe transit fire hazard and violates Department of Transportation (DOT) shipping safety regulations, creating direct legal liability for the sender.

Damaged phones with intact batteries

You can ship a phone with physical outer damage as long as the internal battery is undamaged. The battery must not be warped, punctured, swollen, or leaking.

Swollen, bloated, or leaking batteries

If your battery is swollen, bloated, or leaking, do not request a prepaid mail-in label. Instead, safely take the battery or device to a local small chemical waste program or household hazardous waste collection site designated by your municipality.

Loose batteries

Never mail loose lithium-ion batteries through this program. If you have an unattached battery, drop it off at a designated local hazardous waste collection point.

Still need help?

If you still require assistance, reach out to our customer support team. You can also open a support request directly through the My Fairphone app pre-installed on your device.