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StaceyD's avatar

How do you get rid of old electronics?

Asked by StaceyD (215points) March 6th, 2015

I have an old TV with a built-in VCR. The TV still works but the VCR does not. We finally replaced it with a small flat screen for the bedroom but now I have to get rid of this one. I don’t even think I could FreeCycle it. I was reading an article about how to get rid of electronics but am still not sure how hazardous an old TV is. http://www.wisebread.com/how-to-get-rid-of-your-old-electronics I know there are chemicals in flat screen TVs and smartphones that could be bad for the environment http://www.seidlerchem.com/electronics.htm but I am not sure where an old TV fits in. I doubt I could trade it in at a store like Best Buy because it is so outdated. What do you do with old electronics?

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10 Answers

1TubeGuru's avatar

Our County landfill has separate areas for batteries and old electronics.

SQUEEKY2's avatar

Look to see if there is a recycle depot close to you they will take it, or as @1TubeGuru pointed some landfills have a spot where you can drop them off as well.

dabbler's avatar

If it has a picture tube in it then you are right to be concerned.
The front face of that has a lot of lead in it and should not be dumped into a plain old landfill.
Besides, a lot it is recyclable. If there is a section at a dump where stuff like that is collected there a chance it will someday be in new useful stuff.

jerv's avatar

It depends a lot on where you are. I’ve lived in rural areas that had separate spots for those sort of recyclables, and now live in a city where we have special places to drop them off.

ibstubro's avatar

First, call the local donation centers – Goodwill, Salvation Army – and ask if they accept your donation.

Failing that, call local thrift stores.

Tough sell.

Pachy's avatar

If they work, I try to sell them on Craigslist and store ‘em in the garage if they don’t sell. If they don’t work, I usually give them away for parts for just toss ‘em.

Earthbound_Misfit's avatar

I put them on the nature strip during the council clean up. The council come and pick stuff up every few months. If it’s a TV or something like that, it will probably be nabbed by a scavenger before the council comes by.

Espiritus_Corvus's avatar

Definitely call your city and county waste management department and find out the proper method of disposal. Some of these things are highly toxic. Phones can go to a women’s shelter. Computers can be sold to second hand stores or pawn shops, or try offering them to Goodwill, etc., like Ibstubro said.

then there’s The National Cristina Foundation. They rebuild or use the parts and get computers to kids. The site will list places to donate in your area. They’ve been around for 30 years and are nationwide.

If you prefer to give your electronics to Vets, there’s Pickup Please. They will pick i the stuff up via Fed Ex or UPS, rehab it, and get it to a needy Vet. They operate in about 25 states, check and see if one is yours. Here’s their blurb:

“Your used electronics make a big difference in the lives of America’s Veterans and their families. No matter how big or small, your electronics donations are needed and appreciated. Just fill out the form below, choose a date for your donation pickup, leave your clearly labeled donations outside on the day you choose, and our driver will pick up your donation—rain or shine!”

Kardamom's avatar

Our Target stores (in California) have monthly weekend e-waste drop off dates. They’ll take everything you listed, in addition to computers, printers, VCR’s, DVD players and just about anything else you can think of regarding electronics.

ibstubro's avatar

I know that Goodwill advertizes all the time that they take old computers.

At one time Best Buy was taking old TV’s, but I’ve not heard that lately. Even re-sale is turning away tube TV’s, and we refuse to allow them to leave tube TV’s at our auction.

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