# Where can you recycle a TV in Chicago? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 24, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557 "2016-05-24T16:40:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/1 "2016-05-24T16:40:32Z")
My GF has an old CRT television and CRT computer monitor sitting in her apartment. I agreed to take them to a recycling center for her. Neither of us has a car but I was going to rent a Zipcar to see it done…no biggie. Except now I cannot seem to find anywhere in Chicago that accepts TVs (although they will accept CRT monitors for some reason…seems to me a TV is just a monitor with a tuner so not sure why they take one and not the other). There is one place [waaay out in the suburbs from me](http://www.avarecycling.com/#!illinois-drop-off/c1yf2) but they charge a fee of $30-50 per TV. Add in the cost of the Zipcar and this is getting out of hand. I am trying to do the right thing to dispose of these items (both legally as there is a law about this in Illinois as well as trying to do the responsible thing). It is nuts that the state should mandate this yet make it exceptionally difficult to do. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/2 "2016-05-24T16:41:19Z")
Is there a Best Buy in Chicago? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/3 "2016-05-24T16:42:06Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > Is there a Best Buy in Chicago? Sure. Not too far from me either. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/4 "2016-05-24T16:46:25Z")
Best buy did use to do it. Not sure if they still do. Chicago’s electronic recycling facility is at 1150 N. North Branch St [http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/environmental\_permitsregulation/svcs/household-chemicals---computer-recycling-facilitiy-overview.html](http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/environmental_permitsregulation/svcs/household-chemicals---computer-recycling-facilitiy-overview.html) ETA - Looks like Best Buy now charges $25 for TVs, and only takes tube TVs 32" or smaller. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/5 "2016-05-24T16:53:11Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Best buy did use to do it. Not sure if they still do. > Chicago’s electronic recycling facility is at 1150 N. North Branch St > > [City of Chicago :: Site Clean-Up & Hazardous Material Disposal](http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/environmental_permitsregulation/svcs/household-chemicals---computer-recycling-facilitiy-overview.html) > > ETA - Looks like Best Buy now charges $25 for TVs, and only takes tube TVs 32" or smaller. The City of Chicago place accepts TVs! Thanks! Doesn’t look like there is a charge either (not 100% sure but it seems so). They did not make that info easy to find. Appreciate the help. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/6 "2016-05-24T16:53:49Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Best buy did use to do it. Not sure if they still do. > Chicago’s electronic recycling facility is at 1150 N. North Branch St > > [City of Chicago :: Site Clean-Up & Hazardous Material Disposal](http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/environmental_permitsregulation/svcs/household-chemicals---computer-recycling-facilitiy-overview.html) I brought my old TV to Best Buy about 3 years ago , the OP may have to bring it to city the junk yard and pay a small fee if they can’t find any other way . Most cities having recycling day and people can bring things to be recycle. The OP could the city hall or check out their web site to see if they have a recycling day . ---
**Author:** ![buddy431](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@buddy431](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddy431)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/7 "2016-05-24T17:00:08Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > Is there a Best Buy in Chicago? “Due to state law, Best Buy no longer accepts TV or monitor drop-offs in Illinois” [http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Global-Promotions/Recycling-Electronics/pcmcat149900050025.c?id=pcmcat149900050025](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Global-Promotions/Recycling-Electronics/pcmcat149900050025.c?id=pcmcat149900050025) The Illinois EPA says that a consumer cannot be charged a fee when bringing items for recycling, unless they receive a financial incentive of greater value. I wonder how that place in the sticks charges you (Probably also why best buy stopped doing it) [http://www.epa.illinois.gov/topics/waste-management/electronics-recycling/](http://www.epa.illinois.gov/topics/waste-management/electronics-recycling/) I know the University of Chicago offers free electronics recycling for their students, staff, and alumni. Other universities might do the same, if you can find a friend who’s eligible. [https://itservices.uchicago.edu/services/technology-recycling](https://itservices.uchicago.edu/services/technology-recycling) Frankly, if they’re making it too hard and expensive to get rid of it legally, the government shouldn’t be surprised when people get rid of them illegally. ---
**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:** [May 24, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/8 "2016-05-24T17:05:07Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Except now I cannot seem to find anywhere in Chicago that accepts TVs (although they will accept CRT monitors for some reason…seems to me a TV is just a monitor with a tuner so not sure why they take one and not the other). There’s still some market for usable CRT monitors for game emulation (build your own console stuff) and hard-core gaming purists who use CRTs for less screen latency for competitive gaming. It’s not a large market but I guess they can find a place for those much easier than dealing with an old TV. Old TVs don’t fit the need since they lack the ports to connect them to a computer. Not that this helps your own problems but that’s likely the reason. ---
**Author:** ![pidgeon92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@pidgeon92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pidgeon92)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/9 "2016-05-24T17:42:41Z")
You can also try giving it away on [https://www.freecycle.org/](https://www.freecycle.org/) ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/10 "2016-05-24T17:51:58Z")
Some Goodwills take obsolete electronic equipment; it’s wiped and then dismantled for the precious metal in the works. One in the area where I used to live did; it doesn’t hurt to ask. My church used to have a TV ministry where we would store “fat TVs” in a back room and give them to people who were coming out of homelessness, jail, domestic violence, etc. One of them went to a young woman at our church who was setting up housekeeping after coming out of the military; she didn’t want to take away from “someone who needed it” and we said, “No, you need a TV and we have one.” There’s also a local organization that aids disabled veterans that does the same thing; might want to see if there’s anything like that in your area. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/11 "2016-05-24T18:11:40Z")
> [@buddy431](#): > > “Due to state law, Best Buy no longer accepts TV or monitor drop-offs in Illinois” What a confusing situation for us here in IL. It looks like because of the law, there is [this](http://epadata.epa.state.il.us/land/eWaste/collection-sites.asp) list of places to drop off electronics, but each location can choose what they are willing to accept, so you have to call any particular location for details. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/12 "2016-05-24T22:19:20Z")
There’s also the Habitat ReStore, and some of them will even pick them up. Doesn’t hurt to ask. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/13 "2016-05-24T22:28:27Z")
If they still work offer it for free on Craigslist, freecycle, Facebook, bulletin boards… ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/14 "2016-05-24T22:37:22Z")
Put 'em in the bed of pickup truck and park at a store. Soon they’ll be gone. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2016, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-can-you-recycle-a-tv-in-chicago/755557/15 "2016-05-25T02:07:52Z")
Isn’t there a lake nearby?