Q&A for How to Dispose of Television Sets

Look for a company that's E-Stewards certified. That way, you don't have to worry about the illegal trade or the social and environmental hazards of e-waste dumping.

There are various things you should not put in a dumpster, including: Hazardous waste, paints and solvents, pesticides, fuel such as oil and gas, tires or car batteries, all batteries, anything that can be recycled and light bulbs. It is also important to check with your dumpster company for any other things that are not permitted. For example, some dumpsters permit electronics and appliances while others cannot accept them due to local regulations on e-waste. Garden and yard waste depends on the company and local laws.

Realizing that prices change and depend on load type and size, in general, it will cost anywhere between $150 and $600. Check the company's website or call their customer service for confirmation; have an estimate of the size of what you want them to take away before calling, to assist with an accurate estimation.

An answer to this varies on which dumpster company you’re dealing with and the state or jurisdiction you’re in (as dumpster companies have to comply with the relevant waste disposal laws). Many dumpsters do not permit use of the dumpsters for throwing away electronics, including television sets, because this contravenes the local or state laws regarding e-waste. If the local laws prevent throwing away television sets in dumpsters, look for alternatives, such as e-waste collection depots or curb pick-up days. Unless you’re clear that it’s okay to use the dumpster, assume you need to donate or recycle the television set.

If the old electronics are still working, find a charity or similar organization that will accept electronics donations; this will ensure that your old electronics will get a second chance at being reused. If the electronics are broken or no longer usable for some reason, then many places will recycle e-waste, keeping the potentially toxic elements out of the environment and allowing the valuable elements to be reclaimed.

It depends on where you are. You could probably find out with a quick internet search.

Large TVs over 32 inches are especially hard to get rid of, as electronic stores won't accept them for their recycling programs. Check with your waste company, as they're probably your best bet. They may have a one-time pick-up fee if they don't usually provide a recycling center or service. Otherwise, they may be able to put you in touch with a particular company and/or recycling program.

Take it to your nearest electronics recycling hub. You can find out where it is on the Internet.

Follow the instructions listed in the article above.

Have a garage sale, or sell it on eBay or Craigslist. You could also give it away to someone who needs a TV, or take it to a recycling center.

Try Nacogdoches Recycling Center, Inc. They're the closest place to that zip code.

You can look it up on the internet, or ask someone who knows about it or lives In that area.

Because they make money off the scrap parts and material, Best Buy will recycle them for you for free.

Find a local electronics recycling company who can come pick it up from you. Unfortunately, because of the led content in the glass, companies often have to charge to take CRT television sets. Depending on where you live, the city may periodically hold recycling drives where you could drop off the TV for free.

Stuff needs to be taken out before other stuff can be recycled.

A good place to search is earth911.com. In order to properly dispose of old-model CRT televisions, certified recycling companies may charge for this to ensure the toxic materials in TVs will be kept out of landfills.

I was told by Best Buy that they take nothing over 49" for recycling, even if you bring it to them.