AT&T expands in-store electronics collection program

AT&T Inc., Recycle Global Exchange (RGX) and Compudopt have partnered to expand an in-store end-of-life electronics collection program.

Building on a 2024 pilot, the expanded program will launch across more than 100 AT&T retail locations in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky.

Beginning May 1, consumers can drop off used phones, tablets and laptops at participating stores with bins for device refurbishment, recycling or reuse. For every 10 pounds of electronic scrap collected, AT&T and its nonprofit collaborator, Houston-based Compudopt, will donate 1 laptop to individuals in under-resourced communities, donating up to 2,000 laptops, RGX says.

“At AT&T, we’re excited to expand this program to additional stores, making it more convenient for the public to recycle electronics in their own communities,” says Roman Smith, director of global environmental sustainability at AT&T. “Together, we’re creating a more sustainable future while strengthening connections for people across the country.”

RGX, a Colorado-based cleantech company, is powering the program’s logistical infrastructure through its technology platform. The RGX system connects enterprise clients like AT&T to a national network of service providers while streamlining workflows, automating job tracking and reducing management time and expense, RGX says. The company aims to help companies achieve sustainability goals, reduce their carbon footprint and maximize the value of their retired information technology (IT) assets.

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“This is exactly the kind of initiative our platform is designed for,” RGX CEO Sean Miles says. “By integrating retail-based collection into a managed system of local recyclers, we’re helping companies like AT&T achieve measurable sustainability results without adding administrative complexity. It’s a smarter, more scalable way to handle IT asset disposition.”

Collected devices are handled and assessed by Compudopt. Laptops that qualify will be refurbished and distributed to students, individuals and families who lack access to technology, while nonqualifying devices will be recycled.

“This program creates a direct line from discarded technology to life-changing access,” Compudopt CEO Megan Steckly says. “By turning stores into collection points, we’re not only keeping harmful materials out of landfills; we’re delivering opportunity to the people who need it most.”

Programs like this help reduce the environmental impact of improperly discarded electronics while recovering valuable materials and delivering real community benefit.