After you cancel Dish network service, you may have receivers and other items that the company wants back. When you return Dish equipment, you're not obligated to get the satellite dish back to the company. It's yours to dispose of however you wish. Don't throw it out with your trash, however; satellite dishes are made of recyclable materials, including plastic, metal, and electronic components. Former Dish customers have a few options for properly disposing of a satellite dish at little or no cost.
Removing a Satellite Dish
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It probably goes without saying that you can't recycle a satellite dish until it's been disconnected from your home. It's the customer's responsibility to get the dish down. Removing a satellite dish isn't something most people should attempt on their own. Climbing up on the roof to remove a large satellite dish, uninstall its bracket, and patch any holes is too risky. Contact a satellite dish removal service or a roofing company to take the dish down safely.
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Returning a Dish Network Satellite Dish
Unless a Dish representative told you otherwise, you own your satellite dish and don't have to give it back to the company when you return Dish equipment. However, Dish does accept old satellite dishes for refurbishment or recycling. This may be your easiest option if you have a Best Buy store in your area. Dish partners with the store chain on its collection program, so you can simply drop off an old Dish satellite dish at the customer service desk in your local Best Buy.
If you don't have a local Best Buy but do have a local UPS location, Dish offers the option to ship old satellite dishes directly to its recycling facility in South Carolina. However, customers have to pay for the shipping charge, and shipping a large package across the country uses a lot of resources. If you're looking for a disposal option that's more in line with going green, it's more eco-friendly to use a local recycling service.
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Dish's recycling policies and partnerships could change over time, so visit the Dish website for current guidelines before you return Dish equipment or take an old satellite dish to a Best Buy store.
Local Recycling Options for Satellite Dishes
Because satellite dishes contain hardware components, they should generally be recycled as electronic waste, or e-waste. These items require special handling and have to be disassembled so the electronic elements can be separated from plastic and metal. (Depending on where you live, state law may even mandate e-waste recycling and make it illegal for you to improperly dispose of electronics.)
Options for e-waste recycling vary greatly from place to place. In a large city, you may have your choice of multiple e-waste recycling locations. In a smaller city, you may need to wait until an e-waste drop-off event is scheduled. Check with your municipal recycling service for specific information about local e-waste recycling.
A local scrap metal recycler may also take your old dish. If it's fairly new and in good condition, you might find someone in your area who wants your old dish. Just be sure to meet in a public place to hand over the satellite dish rather than giving a stranger your address.