Whether updating your TV set or saying goodbye to a beloved yet broken television, TV disposal can be a complicated and confusing process.
Safely and effectively recycling or getting rid of your television is integral to avoiding voids and protecting the planet. With our handy guide, learn how to get rid of an old TV, no matter the condition.
Can you put a TV in a skip?
Televisions are classed as hazardous waste and aren’t permitted in skips. They require special care when disposed of, usually through council collections or specific recycling plants.
How to get rid of a broken TV
If your television breaks, you’ll likely want to throw it away. Luckily, there are several free options available for broken TV disposal.
Council collection
Many local councils will collect unwanted electrical items for free from your home, including broken TVs.
Households in the Leeds council area can get up to five items collected per collection, with a maximum of four collections per year. You must ensure your television is safe for collection, even if it’s broken, which means it must be dry, easy to get to, and safely moveable by two people.
Household waste and recycling centres
Some local household waste and recycling centres accept old broken television sets for disposal.
Recycled electrical items, like TVs, are taken to a reprocessing plant and shredded into small pieces. After magnets remove ferrous metals such as steel, electronic currents remove other non-metallic metals.
Recycling electrical items means they don’t end up at landfill sites, preventing hazardous substances from leaking out and contaminating soil or water.
Check if your local household waste and recycling services do old TV disposal by entering your postcode on the RecycleNow website.
How to get rid of a TV
If your television is working and in decent condition, you may want to consider selling or donating it. Giving your old TV a new lease of life is a fantastic way to keep hazardous items out of landfills and protect the environment.
Donate
Many local charities and organisations will accept working television donations. Your old TV will become the centrepiece for a new family or group, saving them money and promoting a circular economy.
British Heart Foundation Furniture and Electrical stores are an excellent place to begin when looking for TV recycling. Some larger branches of Oxfam, Sense, Age UK, and Cancer Research UK may also accept TV donations.
Recycle Your Electricals is a comprehensive site that offers expert advice on what to do with unwanted electrical goods, including TVs, and has a section on where to donate items. The page highlights local charities that find new homes for unwanted electronics and even projects where others will use their skills to mend broken televisions for free.
Sell
If you want to upgrade your television set but need some extra cash, one option is to resell it. The most popular way to sell unwanted electrical items is online, including local seller sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, or eBay.
Before selling, ensure your television is in good working order. Ensure any signs of wear and tear are listed in the description so the buyer is aware of the TV’s condition before purchase. You probably won’t be able to post your old TV – instead, make sure potential buyers are aware the television is for collection only before arranging a safe and appropriate pick-up method.
Exchange
To be more eco-friendly, many big retailers offer a product exchange service. This deal means you can exchange your old television for money off a newer model.
If your television works, retailers send the product to a local charity or organisation and give you store credit to use on a new TV or other electrical items. Samsung, CEX and Zarax all operate such schemes.
The retailer can also ensure your old television is disposed of and recycled correctly, even if it’s broken.
TV disposal: things to remember
Before disposing of or recycling your television, it’s essential to check it’s actually broken. It could be easily fixed if it still works, saving you time and money.
Here are some quick checks you can do to review the condition of your television:
- Check your TV is plugged in and try different outlets to ensure it isn’t the plug that’s broken.
- Check for exterior damage, e.g., cracks or severed wires.
- Check connections are tight and properly plugged into the TV.
If you have done these tests and conclude your television has got to go, follow the above advice on how to get rid of a broken TV.