To dispose of a TV in NYC, you have to keep it out of the trash and route it to an e-waste program instead. New York State law bans televisions from household garbage and landfills, and the city can fine you up to $100 per item for setting one at the curb.1New York State Senate. New York Code ENV 71-2729 – Penalties The Department of Sanitation will not pick up a TV on trash day or during bulk collection. What it will do is point you to several free options: community collection events, in-building pickup for larger apartment buildings, borough drop-off sites, and manufacturer take-back programs.
Why Curbside Is Not an Option
Since January 1, 2015, state law has prohibited households from placing electronic waste in any solid waste facility or setting it out for landfill-bound collection.2New York State Senate. New York Code ENV 27-2611 – Disposal Ban Televisions are covered. They contain lead, mercury, and cadmium, and older cathode ray tube sets carry an average of four pounds of lead in the glass alone.3U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Final Rule: Streamlined Management Requirements for Recycling of Used Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) and Glass Removed from CRTs The $100 penalty applies per violation.
If You Live in a Larger Apartment Building
For residents of buildings with 10 or more units, ecycleNYC is usually the easiest path. The program installs collection infrastructure inside the building and is fully funded by electronics manufacturers, so residents, owners, and taxpayers pay nothing.4New York City Department of Sanitation. Electronics and E-Waste Buildings with 10 or more units can use a secure indoor storage area; once 20 items accumulate, staff request a pickup and items are removed within five business days. Buildings with 50 or more units qualify for a locked storage bin that gets swapped when full, and buildings with 250 or more can host outdoor recycling events. If your building isn’t enrolled, ask the property manager to sign up through DSNY.
Community E-Waste Events
DSNY rotates pop-up e-waste and textile collection events through every Community Board district in the city. They are free, open to NYC residents, and explicitly accept televisions along with VCRs, computers, and other household electronics.5New York City Department of Sanitation. Community Reuse and Recycling Events If you can wait a few weeks, one is likely to land within walking or transit distance. Check the DSNY events calendar for dates. Commercial vehicles are not allowed.
SAFE Disposal Events
DSNY also runs SAFE Disposal events, which stands for Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, and Electronics. These accept a wider range of hazardous household products alongside e-waste and are held in all five boroughs, though they cluster in the fall rather than running year-round.6New York City Department of Sanitation. SAFE Disposal Events Useful if you also need to unload paint, automotive fluids, or medical waste in one trip.
Borough Special Waste Drop-Off Sites
DSNY operates a permanent special waste drop-off site in each borough, open Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The locations are Hunts Point in the Bronx, Greenpoint in Brooklyn, Pike Slip under the Manhattan Bridge in Manhattan, College Point in Queens, and off the West Shore Expressway on Staten Island. DSNY lists these sites as an option for e-waste, but the range of electronics accepted can vary.4New York City Department of Sanitation. Electronics and E-Waste Call 311 or check the DSNY site to confirm televisions are being taken at your nearest location before you make the trip.
Manufacturer Take-Back
Under the state Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act, manufacturers of covered electronics have to accept their products back for recycling at no charge.7New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Recycling Consumer Electronic Waste The brand that made your TV should offer a mail-back label, a designated drop-off partner, or a scheduled pickup. Go to the manufacturer’s website and look for their recycling or take-back program. This is a good route if you have limited mobility or no vehicle.
Retail and Non-Profit Drop-Off
Various retailers and non-profits accept e-waste year-round at physical locations across the city, and DSNY maintains a searchable map of them.4New York City Department of Sanitation. Electronics and E-Waste Some charge fees or impose size limits on TVs, so call ahead before hauling a 65-inch set across the borough.
Prep Before You Hand It Off
If it’s a smart TV, do a factory reset first. Smart TVs store Wi-Fi credentials, login tokens for streaming services, viewing history, and app data locally, and a reset clears most of it. Afterward, log into each streaming service on another device and revoke access for the TV. Netflix, Hulu, and most major platforms let you see and remove signed-in devices from your account. Changing passwords for any accounts you used on the set is a worthwhile extra step.
Physically, disconnect the cables and pull off any detachable stand or wall-mount bracket to reduce the weight. Anything over 40 inches is awkward to move alone, so bring a second person. CRT sets are deceptively heavy: a 32-inch tube TV can weigh over 100 pounds, with uneven weight distribution. Keep the screen facing up during transport to avoid cracking.
If the TV Still Works, Consider Donating
A working TV keeps a functional product out of the recycling stream. Community centers, schools, shelters, and charitable organizations sometimes accept them, but call first. Many have little use for CRT sets or older flat panels without smart features, so a 2012 plasma may be harder to place than you’d think. Be honest about condition: dropping off a broken set at a donation center shifts your disposal problem to an organization that may not have the budget to recycle it properly. If it won’t turn on, has no picture, or has a cracked screen, use one of the recycling options above.
A Note on Older CRT Televisions
Tube sets are harder to recycle than flat panels because of the lead in the glass, and EPA rules govern CRT recycling under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.3U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Final Rule: Streamlined Management Requirements for Recycling of Used Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) and Glass Removed from CRTs The NYC options above all still apply, but some retail drop-offs that accept flat screens will refuse CRTs or charge a fee for them. Community e-waste events and SAFE Disposal events are the most reliable free routes for tube TVs. Confirm before showing up with one anywhere else.