Texas requires computer and TV makers to offer consumers a way to recycle their products. Computer recycling through a maker's program is free, and you find yours by brand through TCEQ. Several Collin County cities also take electronics through curbside requests, drop-off centers or yearly events.
What does Texas law say about old computers and TVs?
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) runs two programs for consumer electronics. TCEQ's electronics recycling page says state law requires TV and computer makers to offer consumers recycling for those products.
TCEQ points households to TexasRecyclesComputers.org for free computer recycling, and to TexasRecyclesTVs.org for TV options. It also notes that recycling means fewer raw materials have to be processed for future products.
How the free computer take-back works
TCEQ's computer recycling page cites a state rule, 30 TAC 328.137. It says any maker selling computer equipment in or into Texas must offer consumers a free and convenient recycling program.
Collection must be free at the time of recycling. Each maker only has to take its own brand, so look up the brand on the unit before you ship or drop it off.
TCEQ lists charging a separate fee at collection as one reason a maker's program can be found out of compliance. The program dates to House Bill 2714, passed in 2007.
- What counts: a monitor, a desktop or laptop, and a keyboard and mouse made by the same maker.
- Who it covers: equipment bought mainly for personal or home-business use, no matter when it was sold.
- Businesses, government and nonprofits: TCEQ says to check with the maker, local retailers and local charities.
- Your data: TCEQ says consumers are responsible for any information left on a computer that gets recycled or reused.
How to find a TV recycler
Start with TCEQ's Texas Recycles TVs page. Each maker on its list has told TCEQ it offers a program to collect and recycle consumers' used TVs.
TCEQ doesn't provide recycling itself. It only helps you find local options.
One catch: a TV maker that reports collecting its full market share for the year has met its duty. It isn't required to offer more collection that year, so a brand's program may have limits.
Do household hazardous waste programs take electronics?
Some do. TCEQ says certain HHW programs may accept TVs and other electronics, and it recommends calling ahead to confirm yours will. Our household hazardous waste guide covers the chemical side.
- McKinney: McKinney's HHW and e-waste page offers curbside pickup on your regular collection day. Request it before noon the prior business day, and you get up to 12 free e-waste pickups a year.
- McKinney's service center on N Central Expy doesn't accept walk-in drop-offs, so everything goes through the curbside request.
- Prosper: Prosper's trash and recycling page says its at-door HHW program takes TVs, monitors, computers, laptops, printers, copiers and microwaves. Each resident gets one free HHW pickup a year.
- Melissa: Melissa's HHW page offers a door-side pickup up to once a month for HHW and used electronics. It takes flat-screen TVs but not tube (CRT) TVs.
- Anna: Anna's recycling page lists a household hazardous waste and e-recycling event each spring and fall.
- Sherman: Sherman's solid waste page says its yearly HHW event does not take CRTs.
Drop-offs and events in Frisco, Allen and Plano
Celina's Clean Sweep events also accept electronic waste, along with bulk trash and household hazardous waste.
- Frisco: Frisco's household chemical disposal page takes electronics free at its Environmental Collection Center on Walnut Street. Bring a matching water bill and driver's license, and plan on two each of CPUs, monitors and TVs per day at most.
- Frisco's bulk pickup won't take them. Frisco's bulk trash page excludes electronics, TVs, refrigerators and large metal.
- Allen: Allen's electronics recycling page encourages electronics-specific recyclers. Residents can also bring electronics to two yearly events, the Great American Cleanup and Allen Recycles Day.
- Plano: Plano's electronics recycling page lists monthly community events on the first, second and third Saturdays. TVs and CRT monitors carry a per-item charge, cash or check only.
- Plano's recycling partner can't take TVs or monitors with broken screens. Check the screen before you load it.
What about scrap metal and big appliances?
Frisco keeps metal out of bulk pickup. It offers a scheduled curbside metal and appliance pickup for a one-time fee. Residents can also drop off metal free on Walnut Street or at 4030 W Plano Pkwy, with a water bill and ID.
Plano's do-it-yourself disposal page says NTMWD facilities take metal appliances for recycling, except the Custer Road Transfer Station. Sherman's drop-off station charges per appliance, per its posted rates.
Allen's bulk collection does accept TVs, washers, dryers and water heaters. See the City of Allen's bulk page for its weight limit.
Why refrigerant appliances need extra care
TCEQ's special waste page lists fridges, freezers, AC units and other CFC items as banned from municipal landfills. They must be handled under federal refrigerant rules.
Cities build that into their pickups. Allen needs a refrigerant-removal tag on fridges, freezers and AC units set out for bulk.
Howe's utilities page excludes Freon items without an HVAC certificate. Frisco adds a charge to the next utility bill for Freon items dropped at its collection center. Our refrigerator disposal guide goes deeper.
Before you hand off a computer or phone
TCEQ is clear that you're responsible for data left on a device. A few minutes here saves a lot of worry later. For items no hauler can take, see what junk removal won't take.
- Back up anything you want to keep.
- Sign out of accounts and wipe the drive or reset the device to factory settings.
- Pull out memory cards and SIM cards.
- If a drive won't start, consider removing it before the computer leaves the house.
When hiring a hauler makes sense
The free programs work well for one laptop or one TV you can carry. They get harder with a garage full of old tube TVs, a dead office closet, or no truck. Businesses clearing a floor of monitors can use our commercial cleanouts.
Our TV and electronics disposal service carries them out and hauls them off. Electronics and metal get pulled for recycling rather than buried. A load is priced by trailer space, from $189 for a minimum pickup, and the pricing page shows each tier.
We handle appliance removal the same way. We unhook standard plug-in and water-line connections, but anything hard-plumbed into gas needs a licensed plumber to disconnect it first.