TEMPE, AZ — If you have a junk drawer loaded with old chargers, smartphones, tablets, or cell phones, a Valley nonprofit says those items don’t have to end up in the trash.
As Earth Month winds down on April 30, Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology, also known as AZ StRUT, is encouraging Arizonans to donate old electronics and help turn e-waste into opportunity.
The nonprofit accepts almost all electronics, including computers, accessories, audio and video equipment, phones, tablets, cables, keyboards, laptops, iPads, iPhones, cameras, printers, televisions, and more. These items do not have to be in working order for those who wish to donate.
The organization’s mission is to improve the competitiveness of Arizona’s technical workforce by supporting applied learning, providing refurbished equipment to schools and nonprofits, promoting diversity through technical education and work experience, and responsibly disposing of electronic waste.
The work goes beyond recycling.
Every device donated to AZ StRUT is evaluated for its highest and best use, whether that means refurbishment, reuse, remarketing, or responsible recycling.
Through that process, students and volunteers gain hands-on experience with computer hardware and electronics while helping provide refurbished technology to students, schools, nonprofits, and community members who need access to devices.
So far in 2025, AZ StRUT says it has refurbished and distributed 6,596 computers, diverted 1.1 million pounds of electronics from landfills, and served more than 50 schools and nonprofits statewide.
The nonprofit also says it follows established procedures for handling wiping practices on qualifying donated items. The group also recommends that donors remove or erase storage devices before donation if data security is a primary concern.
A new $100,000 grant from Cox Charities is also helping AZ StRUT expand its impact.
Donations are accepted at AZ StRUT’s main facility in Tempe on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The facility is located at 3025 South 48th St., Suite 102, on the south side of the Treasures 4 Teachers building.
