How to Dispose of Your TV Responsibly

Learning how to dispose of your TV responsibly is important, and not as straightforward as disposing of other household waste. Follow this guide on how to recycle your old TV responsibly.

What is E-Waste?

If your television is done for, or you’ve just upgraded your tech, it’s important to learn how to recycle your old TV. An old TV cannot simply be added to other household waste, as it is e-waste, and must be disposed of differently, and responsibly. 

But what is e-waste? Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, includes all electrical devices ,from TVs, CD players and VCRS, to smaller appliances like cell phones, USB devices, and electric toys. If sent to the normal landfill, these devices can leach toxic materials into the environment, threatening both the environment and human health. In many cases, old electronic appliances, like your old TV, may be outdated or broken, but that does not mean that at least some of its electrical elements cannot be repurposed, recycled, or refurbished. 

The World Economic Forum estimated that in 2021, the US discarded 63.3 million tons of e-waste. The environmental strain that this level of irresponsible disposal causes is contributing to worsening pollution across the US, and could easily have been avoided. 

Learning how to dispose of your old TV responsibly not only reduces your impact on greenhouse gases, but can help others around you and even make you a profit. 

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How to Dispose of Your TV Responsibly: 1. Donate Your Old TV

If your TV is still working, a charitable option for disposing of your old TV is to donate it. Retirement homes, community centers, schools, and hospitals are always looking for donated electronics, and would greatly appreciate your contribution. 

This is a great way of disposing of your old TV, as well as giving back to your community or helping someone in need. 

2. Sell Your Old TV

If your TV is still in good shape, why not make some extra money? There are plenty of online options for selling old TVs, like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. You could even try to flog it the old-fashioned way at a yard sale.

You are not only making yourself a little extra pocket money but are disposing of your old TV responsibly by giving it another life and reducing waste.

3. Recycle Your Old TV

There are more and more recycling facilities these days that will take e-waste. By taking your old TV to one of these facilities, you can prevent it from ending up in a landfill.

Check with your local recycling center in advance to check if they have the resources to deal with e-waste. If not, there are plenty of facilities across the US that do have the resources and will gladly take your old TV off your hands to recycle. 

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4. Return Your Old TV to the Manufacturer

Try contacting the manufacturer of your old TV and ask them whether they have a special process in place to recycle and reuse old products. Many manufacturers have set up drop-off centers to deal with e-waste responsibly. 

Make sure to contact the manufacturer beforehand, as they may have forms for you to fill out or even charge fees for the service. 

Read on:

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• Microplastics in the Ocean: These 6 Surprising Things are Causing Massive Microplastic Pollution

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Tags: Conservation Guide Upcycling Waste