The Easiest Ways to (Correctly) Get Rid of Your Old TV
Our habits as consumers have changed significantly over the past few decades, especially when it comes to electronics. Given how fast technology advances, it’s no surprise that some people want to constantly upgrade their electronic devices and items like TVs, even if that means getting rid of a perfectly functioning old model .
But getting rid of an unwanted TV is harder than just tossing it to the side of the road with your weekly trash. First, many garbage collection companies will not pick up discarded TVs, and some cities, counties, cities, and/or states also have rules against it.
Even if it’s possible to throw your TV in the trash, you might wonder if the convenience is worth the environmental impact of the e-waste (aka “e-waste”) that accumulates in landfills. According to a 2019 UN Environment Program report , about 50 million metric tons of e-waste is generated globally each year, and only about 20% of it is formally recycled.
Aside from regional requirements and personal motivations, here are some of the easiest ways to properly dispose of your TV.
Donate
If your TV is still working, you can donate it. Different thrift stores and charities have different rules, but look up the donation rules for those in your area to see if they accept TVs. If yes, find out if they offer delivery services . This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of the TV because someone else is (literally) doing the hard work.
Sell or give away for free
Use social media, your area’s “Buy Nothing” Facebook group, Facebook marketplace, bulk email to local family and friends, or another method of your choice to let people know that your working TV is for sale or up for sale. To make things as easy as possible for you, specify that the buyer/recipient must pick up the TV from your home (or any place convenient for you).
Let the seller recycle it
Depending on where you purchased your new TV, you may be able to recycle your old TV at the store. Contact the seller for details, including whether the recycling service includes collection of the old.
But no matter where you got your new TV (or if you bought one at all), you can take advantage of Best Buy’s electronics recycling program . According to the company, any of the network’s outlets in the United States and Puerto Rico will accept for recycling old, unused or unwanted consumer electronics, regardless of where it was purchased, up to three units per household per day.
While Best Buy’s recycling service is free in most cases, they charge a fee for recycling some items. And if you bought a new TV from Best Buy and got it delivered, they ‘ll take your old TV away for $29.99.
Let the manufacturer dispose of it
In some cases, TV manufacturers offer recycling services. You can find out if the person who made your TV is doing it by looking directly at their policy or by using this table compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Take it to an e-waste recycling facility
A quick online search for electronics recycling instructions in your area should point you in the direction of the nearest e-waste recycling center where you can take TVs and other unwanted electronics for recycling. If your city or county does not have one, check with neighboring areas that have such facilities to see if they accept goods from non-residents.
Bring it to an electronics recycling day in your community
If there is no e-waste recycling facility in your area, there may be certain days (sometimes several times a year) when residents can take electronic items (including TVs) to local fire or police stations or other public facilities for recycling. . Again, you can always check if nearby areas have e-waste recycling days, and if so, if non-residents can use them too.