How do you dispose of an old TV in Illinois?

Why TVs can’t go in regular trash

The Illinois Electronic Products Recycling and Reuse Act, fully effective since 2012, bans televisions and most other electronics from Illinois landfills. The law is administered by the Illinois EPA.

TVs are banned because they contain materials that don’t belong in landfills:

• CRT TVs: 4–8 lbs of lead per unit (in the glass)
• LCD TVs (older): mercury in the backlighting
• All TVs: heavy metals, flame retardants, and rare-earth elements in circuit boards

And recoverable materials worth recycling: gold and silver in circuit boards, copper wiring, aluminum frames, recyclable plastics.

Your three legal options

1. Licensed e-recycler drop-off (free or low-cost)

Illinois has a network of licensed electronics recyclers. The closest options to Aurora include:

• Vintage Tech Recyclers (Romeoville) — major regional recycler, accepts residential drop-offs
• eWorks Electronics Services (Chicago area)
• Universal Recycling Technologies (Chicago area)

Most accept residential TVs free for typical flat-screens. CRT TVs sometimes carry a per-pound fee due to higher processing costs (lead). Call ahead to confirm.

2. Best Buy take-back (free, limited)

Best Buy has the most comprehensive in-store electronics recycling program in the U.S. Free for laptops, tablets, smaller monitors, and similar items. Flat-screen TVs and CRT TVs carry a $25–$35 fee due to size/weight. Limit: three items per household per day.

3. Junk removal pickup (Junk Nurse)

For homeowners with one or more TVs to get rid of — especially big or heavy ones, or TVs in inconvenient locations (basement, second floor) — junk removal is the easiest path. We pick up, route to licensed e-recyclers, and don’t charge extra for TVs.

Our pricing is volume-based. A single TV in a junk removal pickup is part of the minimum charge ($89). Multiple TVs or TVs combined with other items get folded into volume pricing without surcharges.

What about Kane County collection events?

Kane County and the City of Aurora periodically host electronics recycling events — usually 1–2 times per year. Free or low-cost drop-off. Check aurora.il.us and kanecountyrecycles.org for the current event schedule.

These events fill up quickly and have lines — not the right option if you need TVs gone this week, but worth using if you can plan around them.

CRT TVs specifically

Old tube TVs are the most challenging electronics to recycle. They’re heavy (50–120 lbs for a 27″ CRT), contain large amounts of lead, and most curbside or drop-off programs charge fees for them.

Junk Nurse takes CRT TVs at our standard pricing — no separate CRT surcharge. We route them to recyclers equipped to handle leaded glass.

What about smart TVs and connected TVs?

Before recycling, factory-reset the TV to wipe any saved Wi-Fi credentials, account logins (Netflix, Hulu, etc.), and personal data. Most smart TV menus have a “Reset to Factory Settings” option. Do this whether you’re selling, donating, or recycling.

Can you sell or donate instead?

Working flat-screen TVs (4K, smart TVs from the last 5 years) often have resale value:

• Facebook Marketplace
• Craigslist Aurora
• OfferUp

For donation: most thrift stores accept working flat-screens, but few accept CRT TVs anymore. Charity standards have tightened as resale value of TVs dropped.

If sale/donation doesn’t work out or isn’t worth the time, Junk Nurse handles disposal compliantly.

For more details, see our full TV and electronics disposal guide.