You can't just set an old TV or desktop computer out at the curb in Texas and expect it to disappear the way a bag of trash does — and in a lot of DFW cities, your regular trash or recycling pickup will outright refuse it. Here's what the law actually says and the easiest way to deal with it.
Texas Has a Manufacturer Takeback Law
Texas requires television and computer-equipment manufacturers to offer consumers a way to recycle these devices for free. In practice, that means two state-recognized programs: TexasRecyclesTVs.org for televisions and TexasRecyclesComputers.org for computers, monitors, and printers. Both let you look up a manufacturer's free recycling option by brand — the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) oversees the program.
Why Curbside Pickup Usually Won't Take Them
TVs, monitors, and computers contain materials like lead and mercury that most residential trash and recycling haulers aren't equipped to process, so many DFW cities exclude electronics from regular curbside service entirely. That's not a policy quirk — it's the reason the manufacturer takeback law exists in the first place.
Your Realistic Options
In practice, you've got three routes: use a manufacturer's free takeback program (free, but usually means finding a drop-off location or arranging shipping yourself), wait for your city's periodic electronics recycling event (free, but only a few dates a year and often requires a drive), or call us and we haul it away as part of a normal pickup — TVs, monitors, towers, and the cables that go with them, same-day in most cases.
What Else Counts as E-Waste
Beyond TVs and computers, this category covers monitors, printers, stereo equipment, and most other electronics with a circuit board. We haul all of it as part of a standard job — see our electronics & e-waste removal page for the full list, or check our post on items we can't haul for the handful of things that do need special handling.
Got a pile of old electronics to clear out? Call or text (214) 402-5501 for a free quote.