TV disposal — where to recycle an old TV and what it costs
An old TV can't just go out with the trash in much of the country: sixteen of the fifty states we cover ban televisions from landfills or the trash, as our electronics recycling guide lays out state by state. The good news is that there's almost always a drop-off, and it's often free.
Short answer
- Check your county first. Many dumps and recycling centers take TVs free or for $5 to $25.
- Best Buy takes up to two TVs per household per day, 50 inches and under (tube TVs 31 inches and under), for a $29.99 fee each in most states. It's free in California, Connecticut and Hawaii.
- Bigger TVs need a haul-away service or a county drop-off.
- Still works? Donate it or give it away first.
What dumps charge for a TV
Public sites in our directory range from free to a few dollars, with the occasional size surcharge:
| Where | TV fee |
|---|---|
| Vancouver, Washington | Free (TVs and monitors) |
| Bremerton, Washington | Free, up to 10 electronics a day |
| Mansfield, Connecticut | Free |
| Stowe, Vermont | Free, up to 7 |
| Hickory, North Carolina | Free for residents |
| Wells, Maine | $5 up to 30 inches; $10 larger |
| Asheville, North Carolina | $10 |
| Statesville, North Carolina | $10 (tube TVs and monitors) |
| Santa Fe, New Mexico | $10 |
| Las Cruces, New Mexico | $9.59 each, up to 3 |
| Sioux City, Iowa | $12.50 (under 21 inches) to $50 (over 31 inches) |
| Bartholomew County, Indiana | $20 |
| Chaffee County, Colorado | $24 up to 29 inches; $48 for 30 inches and up |
| Stillwater, Oklahoma | $25 |
| Centralia, Washington | $25 |
| Rio Rancho, New Mexico | $33 |
Where TVs are banned, the ban has teeth: Chaffee County, Colorado fines $100 for a TV or monitor in the trash, and Iowa City won't landfill TVs or computer monitors.
Recycling a TV at Best Buy
Best Buy's recycling program takes TVs at its stores with limits:
- Sizes: flat-panel TVs (LCD, plasma, LED) 50 inches and smaller, and tube TVs 31 inches and smaller.
- Fee: $29.99 per TV. There's no drop-off fee in California, Connecticut and Hawaii, and in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan you get a $30 Best Buy gift card back. Best Buy's own Insignia and Dynex TVs 50 inches and under are free.
- Limit: two TVs per household per day. It's for residents, not businesses.
- Too big? Best Buy hauls a TV away for $49.99 when it delivers a replacement, or $199.99 for a standalone haul-away of up to two large items.
Old tube TVs
Picture-tube (CRT) TVs are the hard case: the glass contains lead, they're heavy, and many private recyclers refuse them or charge more. Your county's electronics or household hazardous waste drop-off is usually the surest option, and some sites, like Statesville, list a separate price for tube TVs. Our electronics guide covers state programs and manufacturer take-back.
Other ways out
- Working TV? Donate it, sell it or list it free. A working set is worth more to someone else than to a recycler.
- State programs: some states fund free electronics recycling. In Richland, Washington, E-Cycle Washington takes TVs, computers and monitors free.
- Buying a new one? Ask the retailer about haul-away when it delivers. Our junk removal pricing guide shows what a hauler charges if you're clearing more than the TV.
Find an electronics drop-off near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest sites, then check each site's page for TV fees.