Can I put an old TV in the trash in San Diego?

No. TVs are covered electronic devices / e-waste. City bins and the landfill trash deck do not take them. Recycle at the Miramar Recycling Center or an approved collector.

Does Household Hazardous Waste take TVs?

No. The City’s HHW Transfer Facility does not accept electronic waste. Use the Recycling Center or a listed e-waste collector.

Are CRT TVs still accepted?

Yes at electronics recyclers. They are heavy and count as covered devices. A photo helps Fred quote the carry if you cannot load it.

San Diego disposal guides

Where to recycle a TV in San Diego

California treats TVs and other video displays over four inches as hazardous e-waste. The City HHW facility does not take them. Drop screens at the Miramar Recycling Center or an approved collector — or book e-waste pickup.

TV recycling

Covered electronic devices stay out of the trash

Reviewed September 21, 2026 against City and County sources. Confirm hours before you drive.

1Do not put a TV, monitor, or laptop in the trash, recycling, or organics bin.
2Do not take a TV to the Household Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility — that site does not accept electronic waste.
3Drop TVs, monitors, laptops, and computer CPUs at the Miramar Recycling Center (5165 Convoy St, Monday–Saturday 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) or another CalRecycle/WasteFreeSD collector.
4If you cannot haul a large screen, text Fred a photo. CRT and projection sets are bulky; measure the screen.

California law on TV recycling

The Electronic Waste Recycling Act created California’s Covered Electronic Waste program. The Department of Toxic Substances Control treats many video display devices with screens larger than four inches diagonally as covered electronic devices (CEDs): CRT TVs and monitors, LCD/LED/OLED/plasma televisions, LCD monitors, laptops, tablets and smart displays, and portable DVD players with LCD screens. You already paid a recycling fee at purchase. The flip side is that those devices are hazardous waste when discarded. Landfilling a TV is not a legal DIY option.

City of San Diego collection rules put electronics and universal waste on the never-in-any-bin list. The Environmental Services e-waste page is explicit: the Household Hazardous Waste Transfer Facility does not accept electronic waste. Paint, solvents, and batteries go to HHW by appointment. Screens go to an electronics collector.

Where to take a TV

The Miramar Recycling Center lists TVs, computer monitors, laptops, and CPUs as donation-only recycling — no payout and, on the City’s posted chart, no separate TV drop-off fee. Small computer and household electronics from 1 to 49 pounds (printers, keyboards, mice) are listed at $0.25 per pound. Hours are Monday–Saturday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 5165 Convoy Street. Call 858-268-8971 if you are bringing a pallet of CRTs.

WasteFreeSD.org and CalRecycle’s e-waste collector directory list additional drop-off sites around the county, including nonprofit collectors. Unincorporated franchise bulky pickup can include televisions as e-waste on the two free annual collections. City of San Diego still has no routine bulky curbside route.

Fred’s TV and e-waste removal starts at $69 curbside. Projection TVs and large CRTs may price as bulky items — a photo gets the right number. We take screens to processors, not the landfill. We do not take swollen batteries or leaking backup supplies; those belong at HHW.

Official sources

Need pickup instead of drop-off? See TV and e-waste recycling or text a photo.

Text a photo for pickup

Large projection TV staged for legal e-waste recycling in San Diego

Book a pickup

When drop-off is not practical, the quote you accept is the amount you pay.

TV recycling questions

Can I put an old TV in the trash in San Diego?: No. TVs are covered electronic devices / e-waste. City bins and the landfill trash deck do not take them. Recycle at the Miramar Recycling Center or an approved collector.
Does Household Hazardous Waste take TVs?: No. The City’s HHW Transfer Facility does not accept electronic waste. Use the Recycling Center or a listed e-waste collector.
Are CRT TVs still accepted?: Yes at electronics recyclers. They are heavy and count as covered devices. A photo helps Fred quote the carry if you cannot load it.