Is it Legal in Massachusetts to Throw TV Monitors in the Dumpster?

I remember back about 15 years ago the station here in Great Barrington was going through some major renovations. My manager and I were tossing out outdated equipment and office supplies. In addition, new carpeting was going to be installed in the station. It was a change for the better and an exciting time. We even had some old televisions and computer monitors that needed to be moved out of the station as they no longer were in working condition.

Can You Legally Throw a TV or Computer Monitor in the Trash in Massachusetts?

We figured we couldn't just throw computer monitors and television sets directly in the dumpster. There were some that we were able to give away and others we were able to donate to Goodwill. As a matter of fact, according to a document published by mass.gov, back in 2000 the State of Massachusetts banned televisions and computer monitors from being disposed of in the garbage and recycling bins due to high led content found in Cathode Ray tubes which are glass picture tubes that are part of those monitors.

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What Does Massachusetts Suggest I Do with My Old Television and Computer Monitors?

If you have some defunct monitors sitting in your home taking up space, you can either donate the equipment, bring it to a television/computer shop or even check with Goodwill and see if the store in your town will take the equipment off of your hands. Some towns will even have household hazardous waste collection and drop-off days. Check your town's website to see if there will be one coming up in your area. Having dead computer/television monitors taking up space in your house is no fun but make sure you don't toss them in the garbage as it can cause environmental hazards. Happy organizing.