How to Dispose of Old Television Sets

Check with your community before you toss that TV.

Before you chuck that old television in the trash, take a minute to make a phone call. Televisions come with cathode ray tubes (or CRTs), electronic circuit boards and other components that contain traces of hazardous materials like lead or mercury, according to the website Earth911. Often the best way to dispose of the old television is to recycle it responsibly.

Instructions

1. Call your town's Department of Public Works. Ask them whether they take old television sets for trash or recycling. Some communities hold household waste days when you can dispose of equipment like old television sets that contain hazardous materials.

2. Find an electronic recycler near you using one of the electronic recycle databases at the Environmental Protection Agency website (see Resources). Call your local recycler to determine acceptable drop-off times for your television sets.

3. Dispose of your old television set through an electronic recycler near you. You may have to visit a recycling center or drop-off site and certain programs may be restricted to community residents only.

References

• Earth 911: Don't Throw Away Your Television

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Environmental Protection Agency: Where Can I Donate or Recycle Electronic Products?