How to Dispose of an Old TV in Los Angeles

Upgrading to a new TV is the fun part. Figuring out what to do with the old one, whether it's a 65-inch flat-screen with a cracked panel or the tube TV that's been in the garage since 2004, is where people get stuck. In California, the one thing you can't do is put it in the trash.

Why TVs can't go in the trash in California

TVs and computer monitors are regulated as hazardous electronic waste in California. Older tube (CRT) TVs contain leaded glass, and many flat-screens contain mercury in their backlights, plus circuit boards with metals that shouldn't end up in a landfill. The state requires them to go to an e-waste collector or recycler, where they're taken apart and the materials recovered. That's also why you pay a small electronic waste recycling fee when you buy a new screen in California: it funds that recycling system.

Option 1: LA Sanitation's free e-waste pickup

If your home is serviced by LA Sanitation, the city offers free curbside pickup of large electronics like TVs, computers, and monitors. Schedule it through MyLA311 or by calling 311. E-waste pickup is its own request, separate from a regular bulky item pickup, so if you're also getting rid of a couch or mattress, you'll need both.

Option 2: Drop it off at an e-waste collection site

LA Sanitation's S.A.F.E. (Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, Electronics) centers accept household electronics from residents, along with paint, batteries, and other household hazardous waste. LA County also holds periodic household hazardous and e-waste collection events. Check hours and accepted items before you go, and transport the TV upright and padded. A cracked screen can leak hazardous material and cut your hands.

Option 3: Retailer or manufacturer take-back

Some electronics retailers and manufacturers run take-back or recycling programs, and some will haul away your old TV when they deliver a new one. Policies, size limits, and fees vary and change, so ask at checkout, before the delivery crew leaves with an empty truck.

Option 4: Sell or donate a working TV

A working flat-screen that's only a few years old may be worth listing online. Many charities have stopped accepting TVs, especially older tube models, so call before you haul one over. Tube TVs are almost never resellable today; treat them as e-waste.

Option 5: Have it hauled with everything else

TVs are rarely the only thing leaving. They usually come out during a garage clean-out, a move, an estate clean-out, or an office refresh, along with the entertainment center, old speakers, and a box of cables. Dump Happy takes TVs as part of any junk removal pickup, including wall-mounted screens and heavy tube TVs up and down stairs, and routes them to e-waste recycling, never a landfill.

For businesses clearing out monitors and computers, data security matters as much as disposal. See our guide to office clean-outs and e-waste rules in California and our commercial junk removal service.

Don't leave it on the curb

A TV on the sidewalk with no pickup scheduled is illegal dumping under California Penal Code 374.3, and scavengers often break the screens to pull out copper, leaving the hazardous parts behind. If it's going to the curb, make sure there's a scheduled city pickup behind it. See our post on curbside items and the law.

Quick answer

• Just the TV, city-serviced home: schedule free e-waste pickup via MyLA311.
• You can transport it: drop it at a S.A.F.E. center or collection event.
• Buying a new one: ask the retailer about haul-away.
• TV plus other junk, stairs, or a deadline: get a quoteand we'll take it all in one trip.