Safely retiring a humanoid robot takes more than switching it off: the unit may contain stored hazardous energy, a lithium-ion battery, and data or credentials linked to networked services. Before moving or opening it, identify its exact model and obtain the manufacturer’s shutdown, transport, data-removal, and end-of-life instructions. The steps below are a U.S.-anchored baseline; manufacturer procedures, workplace rules, and local waste requirements determine what to do in a particular case.
1. Plan the retirement before touching the robot
Assign one person to coordinate operations, workplace safety, IT or security, procurement, and environmental compliance. A planned handoff reduces the risk of an unexpected restart, mishandled battery, or untracked data-bearing component.
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Record the make, model, serial number, battery chemistry and configuration if known, attached tools or peripherals, charging equipment, other energy sources, connected fleet services, and intended destination. Gather the manual, service records, and site-specific risk assessment. Ask the manufacturer for model-specific instructions covering shutdown, safe transport, battery handling or removal, data disposition, and take-back or service options.
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Do not assume one vendor’s data practices apply to another robot. For example, Agility Robotics describes Digit as processing data onboard and transmitting system-health and diagnostic information to its Arc platform. That is a vendor-specific description, not a general rule for humanoid robots; confirm the practices and procedures for the actual unit. See Agility Robotics’ Digit 5 security and data information and its support information.
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2. How do I safely shut down a humanoid robot for disposal?
Have trained, authorized personnel follow the employer’s hazardous-energy control procedure and the manufacturer’s sequence. A humanoid can have powered joints and stored energy; the relevant hazards may include electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, gravitational, or thermal energy, depending on the system. Keep bystanders out of the controlled work area and prevent restart or remote commands while work is underway.
- Schedule and control the work. Notify affected workers, establish the work area, and coordinate any connected fleet or remote-control services so a command cannot restart or move the robot.
- Follow the model-specific safe-state procedure. Use the manufacturer’s instructions and the site’s energy-control procedure. Do not rely on a generic power button sequence, simply disconnecting a battery, or having a lockout/tagout kit as proof that the robot is safe.
- Verify the required state. Authorized personnel must verify the safe condition using the employer’s procedure and manufacturer guidance before handling, service, or handoff.
- Do not defeat safeguards or improvise movement. Do not bypass interlocks or safety software, open a battery pack, or manually move powered joints. If the procedure or condition is unclear, stop and obtain qualified help from the manufacturer or a suitable service provider.
OSHA lists control of hazardous energy under 29 CFR 1910.147 among standards relevant to robotics, but does not provide a dedicated humanoid-retirement procedure. Its robotics material emphasizes evaluating hazards in the context of the particular system and application. OSHA’s industrial robot technical guidance can inform a site assessment, but its scope is industrial robot systems, so it should not be treated as a model-specific humanoid instruction. Consult OSHA’s robotics resources and OSHA’s Technical Manual chapter on industrial robot systems.
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3. Treat the battery as a separate waste stream
Do not put a lithium-ion battery—or a device containing one—in municipal trash or ordinary recycling. Arrange an appropriate designated recycling route, and do not remove or discharge an integrated battery pack yourself. If a battery is damaged, do not handle or ship it as a routine battery: contact the manufacturer or a qualified battery recycler for instructions. Workers involved in handling need appropriate information and training, and the workplace should have an emergency-response plan for battery hazards.
For U.S. non-household generators, EPA says the generator must determine whether a spent lithium battery is hazardous waste and manage it accordingly if it is. EPA notes that many discarded lithium-ion batteries would likely be ignitable and reactive hazardous wastes, but whether a particular battery is regulated depends on the applicable determination and circumstances. Requirements also depend on jurisdiction and generator status. See EPA’s guidance on used lithium-ion batteries, EPA’s universal-waste FAQ, and OSHA’s lithium-ion battery safety publication.
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4. How do I wipe a humanoid robot before recycling it?
Coordinate data removal with IT or security before the robot leaves the organization’s control. Inventory removable media, onboard storage, cameras or sensors and any recordings, accounts, credentials, logs, diagnostic channels, fleet-management services, network access, and backups. Preserve records the organization is required to retain; then sanitize, transfer, or dispose of data under its approved process.
- Disable network access in coordination with IT or security, while preventing unintended remote commands during shutdown and handoff.
- Use the organization’s approved media-sanitization process for storage on the robot and removable media. Record what was sanitized, retained, or transferred.
- Revoke credentials and API keys, and ask the vendor to confirm device deregistration and the treatment of cloud records, accounts, and retained diagnostics.
- Keep evidence of the data disposition and any vendor confirmation with the retirement record.
NIST SP 800-88 Revision 2 (2025) defines media sanitization in terms of making access to target data infeasible for a stated level of effort. A factory reset alone should not be assumed to satisfy an organization’s sanitization requirement: deletion behavior depends on the device and service. Consult NIST SP 800-88 Revision 2.
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5. Who can recycle an industrial humanoid robot?
Start with the manufacturer’s take-back or service channel, then compare it with qualified recyclers that explicitly accept the actual unit or its separated material streams. Do not assume a consumer electronics drop-off accepts a large industrial robot or its battery. Confirm acceptance before transport, especially when the battery is damaged or the robot has unusual components.
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- Do you accept this make and model as a whole unit, or only specified components?
- Do you accept this battery chemistry and configuration, and what condition restrictions apply?
- What packaging and dangerous-goods transport requirements apply? Who is responsible for arranging compliant transport?
- How are data-bearing storage and removable media handled, and what evidence of sanitization or destruction is available?
- What chain-of-custody records, acceptance confirmation, recycling receipt, or certificate will you provide?
- Are your services and the proposed route appropriate for the robot’s location and the applicable waste rules?
Prefer a manufacturer-supported take-back or a qualified recycler whose acceptance, battery handling, data process, transport requirements, and documentation are clear. The right route depends on the robot’s model, battery condition, location, and the recipient’s capabilities; there is no single route established for every humanoid robot.
6. Close out the asset and handoff records
Document the serial number, retirement date, energy-control completion, components removed, data disposition, recipient’s acceptance, and chain of custody. Keep the receipt or recycling certificate and any vendor confirmation. Update asset, software, access-control, and maintenance inventories so the retired robot no longer appears as an active or remotely accessible system.
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