Frequently Asked Questions

Is your service really free?

Yes, our recycling services, including certification are all free to everyone. This includes households, businesses and government.

Do you pick up from households and businesses?

As a free service, we need to be able to cover the expense of going to you. For this reason, we're not able to collect smaller loads.

We'll pick up from a household if there is 1/2 a van load or more.

We'll pick up from businesses, schools, government when you have 1/4 a van load or more.

If you want to organise a street, school, company or office collection day, we do this on weekday mornings anytime from 7am - 10am. This can help bolster a small load.

Feel free to drop off at our warehouse during the times listed here

How do you protect my data?

Whether a computer, laptop, mobile, camera, ipod or other device, we assume it has personal details on it, and fully erase all data. SIM cards and hard drives are removed and either erased or destroyed.

We erase hard drives using the KillDisk system that erases hard drives to U.S. Department of Defense 5220-22M erasure and 20+ more international sanitising standards.

We prefer to securely erase so the device can be reused. It's the most efficient form of recycling.

How can you use my Apple device if it's locked?

We can't unless you delete it from your icloud account. If you go into your account, you can erase the device and then remove it from your account. Only then can we use it as it is effectively a "new" device.

If it's locked it can be recycled as base components and put back into manufacturing.

Do you provide certificates of destruction or erasure? What is your process?

Yes. We provide certificates of erasure or destruction on request to businesses, government, or other professional entities. This service is free.

The process is:

1) When booking, in the notes section write "Certificate of Erasure required"

2) Email an Excell spreadsheet of the list of serial numbers with your company name and details, company contact and specific request for destruction or erasure.

3) Attach a printout of that list of serial numbers to the devices or hard drives and give it to our driver so they know to separate the devices.

4) On arrival at our warehouse, all devices to be erased are placed in a separate area until processed.

5) One complete, we will email the certificate with serial numbers attached. If there are no serial numbers we will issue a certificate for the aggregate number of devices.

What do and don't you pick up and recycle?

We pick up and recycle most anything with a cord, and even the cords themselves! While this list is comprehensive, if your item isn't listed and it is electric, we will take it. Unless it is on our do not take list.

We recycle cameras, computers, laptops, mobile phones, computer games and consoles, video games, iPads, tablets, servers, server racks, stereos, speakers, DVD players, iPods, Foxtel boxes, phones, heaters, fans, batteries, amplifiers, monitors, TVs, calculators, transistor and clock radios, printers, medical equipment, tools, air fryers, washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, portable air conditioners, oil heaters, microwave ovens, drones, dishwashers, cables, remotes, chargers, old or vintage collectables, plugs, solar panels, sewing machines, overlockers, steam mops, dehumidifiers .

Feel free to ask if you have something that isn't on the list.

More importantly, is what we can't take. If your item isn't listed below, we can take it.

What don't you take?

Smoke Detectors
Old, box-style CRT TVs
Fridges
Freezers
Gas bottles
Pianos
Organs
CDs
DVDs
Electric toothbrushes
Electric recliners or other furniture. (We can take the electric motor alone)
Paint or other chemicals
Gas bottles
Furniture
Hazardous or toxic materials
Wood, treated or untreated

We do not take in our vans, but do accept at our warehouse:

Scrap metal
Extra large, rear-projection TVs
Monitor stands
Treadmills
Exercise bikes, or large exercise equipment.
Stoves
Ovens
Range hoods
Large office photocopiers that can't be carried safely by one person

How can we support Arnies?

Thank you for asking! The best is to buy us a ko-fi or two. These contributions offset our fuel and toll costs and help keep our service free.

For larger contributions, contact us on 0472629154,

Set up a community collection on your street, with your business or school.

We can set up a local hub in your area if you have a location we can park in that is quiet and large enough for a collection event.

Unlock, erase and restore your items.

If you give us an erased and restored device without passwords that is deleted from your cloud or other accounts, we can reuse it. That form of recycling has the lowest footprint. We can safely find an enthusiastic new owner to give the devise a new life.

What do you do with the items you pick up?

We recycle them in one of ten different ways that minimises the footprint of your device.

Arnies had developed the world's most sophisticated recycling ecosystem of local small businesses, large corporate, schools, local councils, religious institutions and community groups to set up collections and recycle your items.

From using items ourselves, to finding someone to repair and restore items, to breaking them down to base components and putting them back into manufacturing. Nothing goes to landfill.

Why don't you call it e-waste?

E-waste is a term that brings to mind getting rid of a problem and throwing it away. But, these items still have value and to call them waste ignores that fact. Instead, calling them electronics recycling, while a bit of a mouthful. reminds us that they can still have a second, third, fourth life and more... The action we take to deal with them will be different in line with how we think and speak about them.

Do you repair electronics or appliances?

Unfortunately we don't. That's a completely different business requiring a multitude of parts and tools which are different to recycling.

Are you a not-for-profit or a charity?

We are a for-profit, social enterprise. The money we make enables us to keep our pick up and recycling service free for the community. All future profits will go towards expanding our services and keeping them free.

Do you recycle everything?

Yes. We do not put any of the electronics we pick up for recycling into landfill. We can not recycle wood or wood-based products such as speakers. But, we try to find ways to reuse them whenever possible.

Do you operate in other locations besides Sydney?

Not yet! Working on it...

Can I drop stuff off at your warehouse?

Yes! We are now available for drop offs at 1/17 Barclay St, Marrickville (the last door before the cul-de-sac)
Operating hours are: Monday - Friday between 7:00am - 3.00pm, Sundays 8:30am - 2:00pm

We are closed Saturdays.

FAQ Data

Protect Data

What we take