Environmentally friendly options exist for disposing of your old TV

The DTV Transition is set for June 12, and many of you may be thinking about upgrading to a digital television set to get ready. But what will you do with your old analog TV? 

If you’re thinking about throwing it in the garbage, you may want to think again.

Television sets can contain chemical elements including lead, mercury and cadmium along with other potentially hazardous chemicals. 

If a television is thrown in the trash, or taken to a drop off site that doesn’t offer electronic recycling, the TVs are placed in landfills.

In Horry County, the Solid Waste Authority currently doesn’t have an electronic recycling program. 

“The TVs are then placed in the Subtitle D landfill, which is the lined landfill,“ said Esther Murphy, director of recycling and corporate affairs. “And the purpose of putting it in the lined landfill is to protect the groundwater and the environment from any possible contaminants inside the televisions.”

According to e-takeback.org, only six states will have disposal bans (on throwing out TVs and other electronics) in effect by the time the DTV transition takes place.

Although it is legal to throw out your old TV in most states, the SWA encourages you to look at other options, including recycling and donating the TV so it can be re-used.

Many thrift stores and charitable organizations welcome your donation. 

At the Used But Not Abused Thrift Store in Myrtle Beach, the staff is quick to point out that an analog TV is still good after the digital transition if it’s hooked up to a converter box. 

It will also still work as long as it is connected to cable or satellite.

If your old TV, doesn’t work anymore, there are recycling options.

Best Buy offers an electronic recycling program. They accept store drop offs of TVs 32 inches and smaller. There is a $10 fee, but Marcus McNair at the Myrtle Beach Best Buy said the company offsets that with a $10 gift card. They also have recycling options for TVs larger than 32 inches.

McNair said there has been increased interest in the program, as the DTV transition draws near. 

“We’ve been getting a lot more televisions recycled,” he said.