How to Recycle an Old TV in Canada

If you’ve upgraded your television and you’re searching for TV recycling near you, the good news is that recycling an old TV in Canada is usually free and easier than hauling it to the curb, where it doesn’t belong. Old televisions contain hazardous materials, so they can’t go directly in the garbage, but a national network of drop-off sites makes responsible recycling simple. Here’s exactly how to do it, what it can cost, and where to take your set.

Why You Can’t Put a TV in the Garbage

Televisions are classified as electronic waste, and most Canadian municipalities don’t allow them in regular trash or curbside recycling. The reason is what’s inside them. Older tube (CRT) televisions can contain several pounds of lead in the glass, along with mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals. Flat-screen LCD and LED sets contain less lead but still hold mercury in some backlights, plus circuit boards and plastics that need proper handling.

When a TV ends up in a landfill, those materials can leak into soil and water over time. Recycling instead lets a certified processor recover the glass, metals, and plastics for reuse, which is why responsibly recycling your television is both the legal and the environmentally sound choice. Our overview of how recycling your electronics helps the environment explains the bigger picture.

Where to Recycle a TV Near You

The fastest way to find free TV recycling near you is to use a national drop-off locator. eCycle Solutions runs hundreds of public drop-off sites across Canada, and televisions are accepted at most of them. Just enter your location, and you’ll see the closest options.

You generally have three routes:

 
If you have several sets or a large console TV that’s hard to move, our electronics recycling pickup service can collect them from your home or business.

Is TV Recycling Free in Canada?

For most households, yes. Provincial stewardship programs fund the recycling of televisions and other electronics, so dropping a TV at a registered public site is typically free. This is the same system that covers computers, monitors, and printers. You can read more about how these programs work in our guide to electronic stewardship programs in Canada.

Where you might pay is for convenience. If you want someone to come and carry a heavy set down three flights of stairs, a pickup service may charge a fee. Junk-removal companies also haul TVs, but they don’t always recycle them responsibly, so it’s worth confirming where your set actually ends up.

Retailer and Take-Back Programs

Some electronics retailers accept old televisions for recycling, either in store or through drop-off bins. Programs change often and many stores cap the size they’ll take, so a large TV may not qualify. Before you load up the car, call ahead to confirm the store accepts televisions, check any size limits, and ask whether there’s a fee. For a guaranteed option, a certified drop-off site or pickup is the more reliable route.

How to Prepare Your TV for Recycling

A little prep keeps the process safe and protects your information, especially for a smart TV.

1. Sign out of your accounts. Smart TVs store Wi-Fi passwords and logins for streaming services. Sign out of every app and perform a factory reset before recycling.
2. Remove external devices. Unplug and keep any streaming sticks, game consoles, or sound bars you want to reuse.
3. Coil the cords. Secure the power cable and any cords to prevent tripping hazards during transport.
4. Don’t break the screen. A cracked CRT or LCD can release hazardous material, so keep the set intact and let the recycler handle it.

If your TV is connected to your home network, treat it like any other connected device. Our guide on how to erase your data before recycling walks through the steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I dispose of an old TV?

Recycle it at a certified electronics drop-off site rather than putting it in the garbage, where it isn’t allowed. Use a national drop-off locator to find the nearest site, factory-reset a smart TV first, and bring the set in intact. For heavy or multiple TVs, book a pickup.

Is TV recycling free?

For most households in Canada, yes. Provincial stewardship programs fund free recycling of televisions at registered public drop-off sites. You may pay a fee only if you choose a home pickup service for a large or hard-to-move set.

Will anyone pick up my old TV?

Yes. eCycle offers a scheduled electronics pickup service that collects televisions from your home or business, which is ideal for large console sets or several TVs at once. Business volumes can be arranged by quote.

Where can I recycle a TV near me?

Use a public drop-off locator to find the closest certified site, as most accept televisions. eCycle operates hundreds of drop-off locations across Canada, plus five processing facilities and a pickup option for larger jobs.

Recycle Your Old TV the Right Way

Recycling a television in Canada is usually free, always better than the landfill, and only takes a few minutes to arrange. Find your nearest public drop-off site, or request a quote for pickup if your set is too big to move. You can also call eCycle at 888.945.2611.

Tricia Oldfield is VP Sales & Marketing at eCycle Solutions, Canada’s certified e-waste recycler and ITAD provider. R2v3 certified. Request a Quote.