How to get rid of old computers, monitors and printers in Massachusetts

Checked November 2026 · by JUNKRUN, Melrose MA

In short

Tube (CRT) monitors banned; flat screens not

Tube (CRT) monitors and TVs have been banned from Massachusetts disposal since 2000 because each holds two to five pounds of lead. Flat-panel monitors and computer towers are not on the ban list, but recycling is the better route: donate working equipment, use your town's electronics collection, or have it hauled.

Tube (CRT) monitor in the trash?: No. Banned since 2000
Flat screen or tower: Not on the ban list, but recycle it
Working equipment: Donate it
Data: Wipe the drive first
JunkRun: Flat screen $59, tube set $99

Computers, monitors and printers: what to do with it in Massachusetts

Is it banned from the trash?

CRTs were banned from Massachusetts disposal facilities in 2000, and the ban list still names cathode ray tubes. MassDEP explains why: CRTs, including televisions and computer monitors, contain from two to five pounds of lead per unit. Do not break one. Do not attempt to dismantle CRTs without proper training.

Other electronics are treated more loosely. MassDEP says all other electronic devices, including computer processing units, keyboards, small home appliances, stereos, video players, and telephones may be accepted as scrap metal or thrown in the trash if no electronics collection program is in place. That is the floor, not the best option: where a collection program exists, use it.

Do this, in order

1
Back up what you need. Then wipe or remove the hard drive.
2
Working? Donate it to a charity or non-profit.
3
Not working? Check your town's electronics collection below, including any fee by screen size.
4
A tube monitor is deep and heavy. Do not break it open. Lead and stored high voltage are the reason.
5
Want it gone with the rest of a room? Add it to a pickup.

Your options, free to hauled

Cheapest first. Most people can stop at step one or two; the last step is for when you want it gone today.

1
Donate it if it still works
Free
MassDEP's advice: if an item is still functioning and usable, try donating to a charity or non-profit group. Wipe the drive first.
2
Use your town's electronics collection
Free
Check for a municipal recycling collection program. Many towns take electronics at the transfer station or on a collection day, some for a per-item or size-based fee. The table below shows what each town's own page says.
3
Look up a take-back option
Free
The Electronics Take-Back Coalition provides information on a range of donation and recycling options, including manufacturer and retailer programs.
4
Have it hauled
Hauled
JunkRun takes a flat-screen TV or monitor for $59 and a tube (CRT) TV or monitor for $99, with certified e-waste handling for the tube sets. See the section below.

What towns charge for electronics

Electronics rules differ by town: some take them for free, some charge by screen size, some use a collection day. These lines come from each town's own page. For town fees and drop-off rules, see the TV and monitor guide. Each of those guides has a table of what the towns we serve charge, with the town's own source link, and the dump and transfer station guide covers every town we serve.

A flat price per monitor

A flat-screen TV or monitor is $59. A tube (CRT) TV or monitor is $99, with certified e-waste handling. We carry it out from any floor with no stair fees.

The minimum pickup is $159. A single monitor is below that, so pair it with a couch, boxes or anything else for the best value. For towers, printers and other electronics, text a photo and we confirm one flat price before we arrive.

Flat-screen TV or monitor $59. Tube (CRT) TV or monitor $99. Minimum pickup $159.

See the full price list →

Edge cases

What do towns charge for a monitor?

It varies by screen size and town. Winchester charges $10, $15 or $25 by TV and monitor size, and Malden lists $25 per CRT unit on its collection day. The TV guide has more towns.

What about laptops, phones and batteries?

Electronic equipment with printed circuit boards may contain lead from solder, mercury in switches, lithium batteries, and heavy metals. Use a collection program or a retailer or manufacturer take-back.

Do I need to wipe a smart TV?

Yes. Sign out of accounts and reset it to factory settings before it leaves the house.

An office is closing and has twenty monitors.

Send us a photo. Flat screens are $59 each and tube sets $99, quoted as one flat price before we arrive.

Quick answers

Can I throw a computer monitor in the trash in Massachusetts?

Not a tube (CRT) monitor: CRTs have been banned from disposal since 2000. Flat-panel monitors are not on the ban list, but they should be recycled.

What do I do with an old desktop computer?

Donate it if it works, use your town's electronics collection, or have it hauled. Wipe the drive first. MassDEP says that where no collection program exists, a CPU may be accepted as scrap metal or trashed.

How do I know if my monitor is a CRT?

A CRT is deep, heavy and boxy. A flat panel is thin. If it is thick at the back, treat it as a CRT.

How much does JunkRun charge for a monitor?

A flat-screen TV or monitor is $59 and a tube (CRT) set is $99. The minimum pickup is $159.

Sources

Checked November 2026. Programs and fees change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with your town.

MassDEP: Guide to Safely Managing Hazardous Household Products: “CRTs were banned from Massachusetts disposal facilities in 2000.”
MassDEP: Waste disposal bans: “Materials Currently Banned from Disposal or Transfer for Disposal in Massachusetts”
MassDEP: Guide to Safely Managing Hazardous Household Products: “Cathode ray tubes (CRTs), including televisions and computer monitors, contain from two to five pounds of lead per unit.”
MassDEP: Guide to Safely Managing Hazardous Household Products: “Do not attempt to dismantle CRTs without proper training”
MassDEP: Guide to Safely Managing Hazardous Household Products: “All other electronic devices, including computer processing units (CPUs), keyboards, small home appliances, stereos, video players, and telephones may be accepted as scrap metal or thrown in the trash if no electronics collection program is in place.”
MassDEP: Guide to Safely Managing Hazardous Household Products: “If an item is still functioning and usable, try donating to a charity or non-profit group”
MassDEP: Guide to Safely Managing Hazardous Household Products: “Check for a municipal recycling collection program.”
MassDEP: Guide to Safely Managing Hazardous Household Products: “The Electronics Take-Back Coalition provides information on a range of donation and recycling options.”
MassDEP: Guide to Safely Managing Hazardous Household Products: “Electronic equipment and appliances with printed circuit boards may contain lead from solder, mercury in switches, lithium batteries, and heavy metals.”