That old television in the basement, the box of dead phones in a drawer, the tower computer nobody has turned on in five years: electronics are easy to accumulate and surprisingly tricky to throw away. They contain valuable materials worth recovering and hazardous ones you do not want in a landfill, which is why “e-waste” is handled differently from ordinary trash.
Here is how to dispose of a TV, computer, and other electronics in Layton and across Utah the safe, responsible way, including how to protect your personal data before anything leaves the house.
Quick Answer: Do not put a TV, monitor, or computer in your regular trash. Old CRT (tube) televisions and monitors in particular contain leaded glass and need special handling. Recycle electronics through a certified e-waste recycler, a retailer take-back program, or a local collection event, and wipe or destroy any device that stored personal data first. If the electronics are part of a larger cleanout, a junk removal crew can take them and route them to a recycler. Never dump electronics illegally, and never break open a tube TV or monitor.
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Your Options at a Glance
| Option | Typical Cost | Effort for You | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified e-waste recycler | Free to a fee for TVs/monitors | Medium (you drop off) | ✓Any electronics, especially CRTs |
| Retailer take-back | Often free for small electronics | Low | ✓Phones, small devices, some TVs |
| Manufacturer mail-back | Free for many brands | Low | ✓Small electronics with programs |
| Community collection event | Usually free | Low (limited dates) | ✓Households clearing several items |
| Donate working electronics | Free | Low | ✓Devices that still work |
| Junk removal crew | Priced with the load | None | ✓Big TVs, many items, or a cleanout |
Why You Cannot Just Trash Electronics
Electronics contain a mix of recoverable value and genuine hazards. Circuit boards hold small amounts of gold, copper, and other metals worth recycling. At the same time, older devices can contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and other substances you do not want leaching in a landfill.
Old tube-style TVs and monitors, known as CRTs, are the biggest concern: the glass tube contains several pounds of lead. Many recyclers charge a fee to handle CRTs precisely because that leaded glass requires careful, specialized processing. Flat-screen TVs and monitors are lighter and easier, but they still belong in the recycling stream rather than the trash. Because of all this, electronics are widely treated as e-waste and kept out of ordinary landfill disposal.
Step 1: Wipe Your Data First
Before any phone, computer, tablet, external drive, or even some smart TVs leaves your house, deal with the data on it. Recyclers and donation centers are not responsible for the personal information you leave behind.
- Phones and tablets: sign out of your accounts, remove any SIM and memory cards, then perform a full factory reset.
- Computers and laptops: back up anything you want, sign out of accounts, then do a factory reset or securely erase the drive. For sensitive data, physically removing and destroying the drive is the surest method.
- Smart TVs and streaming devices: sign out of your streaming and account apps and factory reset so the next handler does not inherit your logins.
A factory reset is enough for most households. If a device held financial, medical, or business records, destroying the storage drive is the safest choice.
Step 2: Donate or Sell Working Electronics
If a device still works, someone can use it. Recent-model phones, laptops, and tablets have real resale value, and functional electronics are welcome at many donation programs and thrift stores, including Deseret Industries. Schools, nonprofits, and refurbishing programs sometimes accept working computers.
Only pass along devices that actually power on and function, and only after you have wiped your data. Broken electronics should go to recycling, not donation.
Step 3: Recycle Electronics That Are Dead or Outdated
For anything that no longer works or is not worth reselling, recycling is the right path.
Certified e-waste recyclers. The Salt Lake, Davis, and Weber county areas have electronics recyclers that accept TVs, monitors, computers, printers, and small electronics. Certified recyclers handle the hazardous components responsibly rather than shipping them off or dumping them. Expect a fee for CRT televisions and monitors, and call ahead for their accepted-item list and pricing.
Retailer take-back. Several major electronics retailers run recycling programs that accept small electronics, cables, batteries, and sometimes TVs, often for free within size limits. Check the current program and any per-item fees before you go.
Community collection events. Cities, counties, and organizations in Utah periodically host electronics or household hazardous waste collection events where residents can drop off e-waste, sometimes at no charge. Watch your city and county announcements for dates.
Household hazardous waste programs. Some local HHW programs accept certain electronics along with other regulated household items. Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District serves Davis and Morgan county residents; confirm what electronics they currently accept and any limits.
Step 4: Batteries Need Their Own Route
Batteries, especially the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries in phones, laptops, power tools, and many devices, are a fire hazard in the trash and in recycling trucks. Do not throw them in household trash or your curbside recycling. Use a dedicated battery drop-off, which many hardware stores, electronics retailers, and collection events provide. Remove batteries from a device before recycling it when you can.
Option: Junk Removal for Big TVs and Whole-House Cleanouts
If you are clearing out a heavy old projection or tube TV, several devices at once, or a basement full of outdated electronics along with other junk, a junk removal crew is the easy answer. The crew lifts and loads the heavy units, so you do not have to move a 150-pound tube TV down the stairs, and routes electronics to a recycler.
This makes sense when:
- You have a large, heavy CRT or projection TV to move
- You are clearing an office, estate, or basement full of old equipment
- Electronics are mixed in with furniture and general junk
- You want it all gone in one visit
GoHaulStrong removes TVs, computers, printers, and other electronics as part of a cleanout and routes them to appropriate recycling. Mention the electronics when you request your free quote so we can plan for them. For a single small device, though, a free retailer or recycler drop-off is usually the cheaper route.
What TV and Electronics Disposal Typically Costs
| Item | Typical Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small electronics (phones, tablets) | Often free to recycle | Retailer and mail-back programs |
| Flat-screen TV or monitor | Free to a modest fee | Varies by recycler |
| CRT (tube) TV or monitor | Fee, due to leaded glass | Special handling required |
| Working devices | Free (donate) or a payout (sell) | Wipe data first |
| Junk removal | Priced with the load | Crew lifts and hauls |
Where to Recycle Electronics in the Layton and Davis County Area
Here is how the options map locally.
Certified e-waste recyclers. The Ogden, Davis, and Salt Lake areas have electronics recyclers within easy reach of Layton that accept TVs, monitors, computers, printers, and small electronics. Certified recyclers handle the hazardous components responsibly. Expect a fee for old tube (CRT) TVs and monitors because of their leaded glass, and call ahead for the accepted-item list and pricing.
Retailer take-back. Several national electronics retailers with locations in the Davis and Weber County area run recycling programs that accept small electronics, cables, and batteries, often free within limits, and sometimes TVs. Check the current program and any per-item fee.
Household hazardous waste and collection events. The Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District serves Davis and Morgan county residents; confirm which electronics it currently accepts. Cities and the county also hold periodic collection events where residents can drop off e-waste, sometimes at no charge. Watch local announcements for dates.
Donation. Working devices can go to Deseret Industries and similar centers once you have wiped your data.
Junk removal. For a heavy old tube or projection TV, or a basement of dead electronics mixed with other junk, a crew lifts and hauls it and routes the e-waste to a recycler.
Real-World Scenarios
- Old tube TV in the basement. These can weigh well over 100 pounds. Rather than risk the stairs, add it to a junk removal load or a collection-event trip if you can move it safely.
- Drawer full of dead phones and cables. Wipe and factory reset the phones, then use a retailer take-back or battery drop-off. Small electronics are usually free to recycle.
- Home-office upgrade. An old desktop, monitor, and printer can go to a certified recycler together; wipe or remove the computer’s drive first.
- Downsizing or estate cleanout. Electronics are often scattered through the home. A crew consolidates and hauls them with the rest of the cleanout, routing e-waste to a recycler.
- Business IT refresh. A batch of old monitors and towers is a commercial e-waste job; keep asset tags and data destruction in mind, and use a recycler that documents proper handling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw a TV in the trash in Utah?
You should not. TVs contain materials that do not belong in a landfill, and tube TVs contain leaded glass. Recycle a TV through a certified e-waste recycler, a retailer program, or a collection event.
Where can I recycle a TV near Layton?
Certified electronics recyclers in the Davis, Weber, and Salt Lake county areas accept TVs, as do some retailer programs and periodic collection events. Expect a fee for old tube TVs. Confirm acceptance and pricing before you go.
How do I wipe my computer before recycling it?
Back up anything you need, sign out of your accounts, and perform a factory reset or secure erase. For sensitive data, physically remove and destroy the storage drive to be certain nothing is recoverable.
Are electronics considered hazardous waste?
Electronics contain both valuable and hazardous materials, including lead and mercury in older devices. That is why they are handled as e-waste and kept out of the regular landfill rather than thrown away as ordinary trash.
What do I do with old batteries and cables?
Never put batteries in the trash or curbside recycling, because they are a fire risk. Use a dedicated battery drop-off at a hardware or electronics store or a collection event. Cables and small electronics are accepted by many retailer recycling programs.
Will a junk removal company take an old TV?
Yes. Junk removal crews regularly haul TVs, including heavy tube and projection sets, and route them to a recycler. This is the easiest option for large TVs or when electronics are part of a bigger cleanout.
Is it free to recycle electronics in Utah?
Small electronics are often free to recycle through retailer and mail-back programs, and some collection events are free. Tube TVs and monitors usually carry a fee because of the special handling their leaded glass requires.
The Bottom Line
Electronics are not curbside trash. They hold materials worth recovering and hazards worth keeping out of a landfill, and tube TVs in particular need special handling. Wipe your data first, donate or sell anything that still works, and recycle the rest through a certified recycler, a retailer program, or a collection event.
If you are moving a heavy old TV or clearing out a pile of dead electronics along with other junk, GoHaulStrong can take it all in one visit and route the e-waste to a recycler. Get a free quote and tell us what electronics are in the mix.
Keep Reading
Junk removal near you: For bulky electronics and everything else, see our Utah service areas and local pricing.
Ready to book? GoHaulStrong handles TV and electronics removal across Utah, at a flat price with all the lifting done for you.
Read next: How to Get Rid of an Old Refrigerator or Appliance in Utah
Sources Used for Verification
- U.S. EPA guidance on electronics recycling and e-waste
- Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District household hazardous waste and electronics information
- Certified electronics recyclers serving northern Utah
- Retailer and manufacturer electronics take-back program information
Recycler acceptance, fees, and collection-event dates change, so confirm current details with the recycler or program serving your area before you make a trip.
