Before dropping off your camera, take a moment to remove any SD cards or memory cards — these often contain personal photos and videos you may want to keep or securely erase. If the camera has internal storage, perform a factory reset through the settings menu to clear saved images, Wi-Fi passwords, and any linked cloud accounts. For cameras with GPS or geotagging features, disabling location services and wiping stored waypoints protects your privacy.
Remove the battery if it is user-accessible, and bring it along separately — we recycle batteries too, but loose batteries are easier to sort safely. Cameras should never be thrown in household trash because they contain lithium-ion batteries that pose fire risks in garbage trucks and landfills, along with circuit boards containing lead solder and small quantities of precious metals. Even a broken point-and-shoot camera yields recoverable glass, copper, aluminum, and rare earth elements that would otherwise be lost permanently.