# What to do with a good but old CRT monitor **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126 "2013-04-08T01:59:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/1 "2013-04-08T01:59:54Z")
We have a very large (30 inch diagonal) perfectly working CRT monitor that we’re no longer using. Do such things have any resale value these days? Would Goodwill even take it, or are they flooded with them? If nothing else, how to dispose of it without getting ooky chemicals bad places? thanks ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/2 "2013-04-08T02:11:49Z")
I’m not sure about California laws, but I know that in Colorado, as of July 1st, land fills will no longer accept electronics and used TVs and stuff have to go to recyclers. I understand the reasoning, but it is quite a burden on the consumers (finding a recycler, transporting said electronic thing, paying the recycler, etc.) I expect such things to still find their way into dumpsters, or, just dumped by the side of the road. The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes again. Bob ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/3 "2013-04-08T02:36:53Z")
Keep an eye out for school or community groups doing an electronics recycling drive. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/4 "2013-04-08T02:37:51Z")
[CalRecycle](http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/electronics/collection/). ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/5 "2013-04-08T02:39:54Z")
post it on Craigslist or one of the reuse mailing lists. people still like them for the good display. if you can’t get someone to reuse then check stores that sell tv sets. many will have a recycling program for customer goodwill or because required by law. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/6 "2013-04-08T02:40:42Z")
I just went through something similar this summer. Nope, nobody actually wants them, even for free. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/7 "2013-04-08T03:18:31Z")
Take it to a recycling center if there’s any way to track it back to you. People throw away used monitors, and they can be tracked by the serial number back to the original owner, who will be held responsible. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/8 "2013-04-08T03:54:05Z")
If it’s a good one then somebody might want it to use with old video game consoles. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/9 "2013-04-08T04:54:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Take it to a recycling center if there’s any way to track it back to you. People throw away used monitors, and they can be tracked by the serial number back to the original owner, who will be held responsible. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/10 "2013-04-08T05:11:34Z")
Goodwill and other charities won’t take them. Free on Craigslist is your best hope. A friend of mine got rid of his that way. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/11 "2013-04-08T05:59:00Z")
Go to the dump. It’s a doorstop. You may have to pay to get rid of it. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/12 "2013-04-08T06:27:05Z")
You can recycle it for free at Best Buy. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/13 "2013-04-08T07:33:04Z")
You might be able to recycle it without having to pay. I took an old 386 computer and monitor to an electronics recycling shop in Fresno a few years ago. One of the items (computer or monitor, I forget which) I had to pay a few bucks to get rid of, the other they took for free. They told me the State subsidizes them to take that. You’re in Santa Clara, epicenter of the Electronics Industry for this quadrant of the galaxy! Surely there must be recycling centers on every street corner! Just ask at any local barber shop. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/14 "2013-04-08T11:12:48Z")
A couple years ago I cleared out several and put them on the curb for bulk pickup. By the time I walked the third outside, someone had already scavenged one and two, and three disappeared quickly, too. So apparently people that scavenge trash from the side of the road still want them. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/15 "2013-04-08T11:37:44Z")
[Staples will accept monitors for free](http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/easy-on-the-planet/recycling-and-eco-services.html)to be recycled. Be sure it’s a monitor. For whatever reason, they won’t accept TVs. Otherwise, posting it as “FREE!” on Craigslist will probably make it disappear in an hour or two. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/16 "2013-04-08T11:40:50Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > We have a very large (30 inch diagonal) perfectly working CRT monitor that we’re no longer using. Do such things have any resale value these days? Is that really a 30 inch computer monitor? With some correspondingly large resolution? Or do you just mean a TV? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/17 "2013-04-08T14:03:18Z")
If it’s an actual computer monitor, it may have some value. There’s still some gaming purists out there who believe CRTs are best for hardcore FPS action. A 30" monitor could hold some worth to that type of person. I’d at least try a Craigslist ad before dumping it on the curb. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/18 "2013-04-08T14:22:40Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > If it’s an actual computer monitor, it may have some value. There’s still some gaming purists out there who believe CRTs are best for hardcore FPS action. A 30" monitor could hold some worth to that type of person. I’d at least try a Craigslist ad before dumping it on the curb. My brother is one of those gamers. He recently bought a big CRT from Craiglist (not sure how much he paid, but probably not a lot). He says that it’s [better for FPS games](http://www.edge-online.com/features/how-hdtv-killed-rhythm-action/) because there’s less [display lag](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_lag) than with newer monitors. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/19 "2013-04-08T14:50:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Take it to a recycling center if there’s any way to track it back to you. People throw away used monitors, and they can be tracked by the serial number back to the original owner, who will be held responsible. While I fully support proper recycling of obsolete electronics (whether or not there’s any way the item can be tracked), this is bullshit paranoia. Unlike guns, there is no central database of CRT serial numbers that identifies who owns which monitor. Manufacturers may possibly know which serial numbers went to which retailer, but I doubt any retailer keeps track of which serial number went to which customer - and even if they did so ten years ago (or whenever the monitor was purchased), it’s highly unlikely that they would bother maintaining such records past the monitor’s warranty period. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126/20 "2013-04-08T15:30:08Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > While I fully support proper recycling of obsolete electronics (whether or not there’s any way the item can be tracked), this is bullshit paranoia. Unlike guns, there is no central database of CRT serial numbers that identifies who owns which monitor. Manufacturers may possibly know which serial numbers went to which retailer, but I doubt any retailer keeps track of which serial number went to which customer - and even if they did so ten years ago (or whenever the monitor was purchased), it’s highly unlikely that they would bother maintaining such records past the monitor’s warranty period. This mainly applies to computers sold to businesses under contract with the manufacturers. I don’t of any particular case where a CRT has been tracked back to the owner, but businesses who purchase under contract are very particular now about getting back their CRTs from employees and making sure that are properly recycled. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-with-a-good-but-old-crt-monitor/655126.md?page=2)