Getting rid of the old TV? Officials ask you to recycle

Ohio doesn’t require it, but authorities note sets are full of toxic chemicals.

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By Jim DeBrosse, Staff Writer Updated 10:37 PM Friday, June 19, 2009

Analog TV sets will work fine with a converter box, but if you decide to replace your old TV with a new digital set, environmental officials urge you to recycle rather than throw the old set in the trash.

TV sets are full of toxic chemicals, including lead, mercury and cadmium, that can leach into landfills.

Montgomery County’s recycling centers in Moraine and Vandalia accept old TV sets and other electronics for free if you’re a county resident. (Visit www.mcswd.org or call (937) 225-4999 for information.)

Other counties, including Miami, Greene and Warren, hold recycling events throughout the year when they will accept electronic items. Contact your local county office for details.

For a $10 fee, Best Buy stores will recycle your old TV regardless of where you bought it.

Certain manufacturers, including LG and Sony, offer TV recycling programs. Go to www.wm.com/sony or www.wm.com/lg for more information.

If your old set is still working fine, you may be able to donate it to a school or library, but check first. They may not want an analog set.

Nineteen states now require recycling of old electronic items, but not Ohio. Only about 20 percent of all old TV sets in America are recycled. The rest are dumped in landfills, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Other recycling Web sites include:

• Earth 911 (earth911.com/electronics): Has a ZIP -code based search engine that enables you to find recycling and reuse options in your community for a variety of products.

• National Recycling Coalition (nrc-recycle.org/localresources.aspx): Provides links to state recycling resources. Many communities have special collection and recycling days that are highlighted on their Web sites.

• My Green Electronics (mygreenelectronics.org): On this Consumer Electronics Association site, you can learn more about purchasing “green” electronic products and search for recycling opportunities.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2437 or jdebrosse @DaytonDailyNews.com.

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