Don’t throw away your television
by Earth 911 Staff on April 19th, 2007
Our growing dependence on electronics products both at home and in the workplace has given rise to a new environmental challenge: electronic waste. A recent study by the U.S. EPA shows that electronics already make up approximately 1 percent on the municipal solid waste stream. Research indicates that electronic waste is growing at three times the rate of other municipal waste.
According to the U.S. EPA, over 20 million personal computers became obsolete in 1998 and only 13% were reused or recycled.
Electronic circuit boards, batteries, and color cathode ray tubes (CRTs) can contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury and hexavalent chromium. If improperly handled or disposed, these toxins can be released into the environment through landfill leachate or incinerator ash.
In just one year, over 112 million pounds of valuable materials were recovered from disposed electronics for recycling and reuse. Materials includes steel, glass, plastic and precious metals.
Don’t throw away your television. Recycle it! In the “Find a Recycling Center” box at the top of this page,type in Television on the left, type in your zip code on the right, hit enter, and view the results.
10:44 am on May 28th, 2007
I have a TV, stereo system and speakers that I’d love to recycle but Staples does not accept these types of electronics. I don’t want to throw them in the trash, so are there any other ideas for proper disposal or recycling in the greater Seattle area?
6:09 pm on June 12th, 2007
I would also like to find out where to take old televisions. I have one that is very big and would like to recycle it. I live in the McHenry, IL area.
7:27 am on June 23rd, 2007
playmytune: Solid Waste Agency of Lake County (swalco.org) does electronics recycling events all the time. Check their website for dates and locations. You can take your TV to one of their electronics collections.
11:37 am on August 12th, 2007
I want to dispose of tv in Bellevue, WA, zipcode 98005. Any suggestions as to where and how to do this in an earth friendly way? Thanks
9:23 am on August 13th, 2007
Cynthia, in the “Find a Recycling Center” box at the top of this page,type in Television on the left, type in your zip code on the right, hit enter, and view the results. If you have any problem finding a location to take your TV send me an email.
8:12 pm on August 27th, 2007
Once I paid $100 to a Dallas recycling center to get rid of a TRUCKLOAD of computer stuff that I picked up from my suburban community - monitors, PC cases full of motherboards and hard drives, printers, etc. But that place would also NOT TAKE A TV! I asked why, since they took computer monitors and they are almost like a TV. As far as I know the electronics is the same, but a TV includes a tuner. Maybe the tuner has a special chemical in it that computer monitors don’t. That’s the only explanation I can think of.
I live in Fort Worth now and haven’t found out if they actually take TV’s. It’s disappointing that Staples won’t. If I type in “Television” and my zip code, I only get links to Goodwill, and they only take WORKING TVs.
By 2009 there is going to be a HUGE problem - when TV goes from analog to digital, and now millions of analog TVs will be obsolete - where is the government program to recycle these? I’m thinking of writing my congresspersons and senators about this issue..I suggest you do the same.
11:21 am on August 31st, 2007
[...] prevention. If you don’t know where to go, check the internet for electronic recycling resources. Don’t Throw Away Your Television has a search engine that can help find recycling centers in your [...]
3:56 pm on September 26th, 2007
Why is it always (usually) assumed that old TVs have to go into waste. What are the options for very functional TV besides waste?
8:30 am on April 27th, 2008
[...] recycling Center??? box at the top of this page,type in Television on the left, type in your zip …http://earth911.org/blog/2007/04/19/throw-away-your-television/Electronics Recycling - Television, Cell Phone, Computer Monitor RecyclingLet Creative recycling [...]
9:57 pm on May 9th, 2008
[...] 19th, 2007. 9 Comments. old School Television Our growing dependence on electronics products …http://earth911.org/blog/2007/04/19/throw-away-your-television/Don’t Throw Away Your Old Computer - Make Money, Save Money - Seeking AlphaDon’t throw away Your old [...]
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