A working computer monitor may still be useful to someone else.
For a broken monitor, look for an electronics collection program.
Don’t put it in curbside recycling, leave it at the curb without arranged pickup, or break it apart.
Older cathode-ray-tube monitors contain leaded glass that needs special handling.
Identify the Monitor
Is It a CRT or a Flat-Panel Monitor?
Number key: 1 marks the CRT glass screen, 2 its deep case, and 1 marks the flat-panel’s thin profile.
Smart features are a separate check. Look for Wi-Fi, apps, accounts, a camera, or internal storage, then confirm them using the model and menus.
A deep, heavy monitor with a glass screen is probably a cathode-ray-tube model, usually called a CRT.
A thin LCD, LED, or OLED screen doesn’t have a CRT, but it is still electronic equipment.
Your local e-waste program may handle its lamps, circuit boards, and other parts separately.
Write down the brand, model, screen type, size, and whether the screen is cracked.
Give those details when you ask a collection site about the monitor.
Some programs take flat screens but charge for CRTs, while others limit how many monitors a household can bring.
Reuse a Working Monitor
If the monitor works and has its cables or adapter, you can offer it for sale or give it directly to someone.
Only test it when the cord, plug, case, and screen are intact.
In your listing, include the model number, connector types, resolution, and any problems you know about.
Ask before you donate, since schools and charities don’t automatically want older displays.
A basic monitor usually doesn’t store files from the computer connected to it.
A smart monitor with apps, Wi-Fi, accounts, storage, or a camera may hold some of your account data.
Sign out of your accounts and follow the manufacturer’s reset instructions before you pass it on.
Samsung’s reset guide tells smart monitor owners to note their app login details and explains that a factory reset restores default settings.
The menus differ by model, so use the manual for your own monitor.
Remember to remove USB drives and any other storage devices.
Find a Responsible Recycler
Your city, county, a manufacturer, or a retailer may offer electronics collection.
Start with your city, county, or state e-waste directory.
Before you go, ask about fees, appointments, whether you must live locally, screen types, and broken displays.
EPA recommends certified electronics recyclers and recognizes two certification standards, R2 and e-Stewards.
Its certified electronics recycler page links to both program directories.
Once you find a nearby recycler, check its current certification and ask whether that location takes your monitor.
Why CRT Monitors Need Care
EPA reports that older televisions and monitors with CRTs contain lead and may need special handling.
Federal exemptions for household waste don’t override stricter state or local rules.
Use your local collection program instead of trying to remove or crush the glass yourself.
If the CRT screen is cracked, keep people away from the pieces and ask the collection site how to pack it.
Don’t vacuum the dust, sweep aggressively, or mail a broken CRT unless the program provides packaging it will accept.
What to Bring and Ask
- Bring proof of residence if the program asks for it.
- Keep the monitor intact and dry during transport.
- Secure the power cord and stand so they can’t hit the screen.
- Ask whether cables and other accessories go in the same collection.
- Get a receipt if you need a record for business or institutional disposal.
Can a Monitor Go in Household Trash?
Your local rules decide whether a monitor can go in household trash.
States can set stricter requirements than the federal household-waste rules, and many communities collect e-waste separately.
Check both your state and local instructions before you discard a monitor.
If the monitor is attached to a computer, deal with the computer and its stored data separately.
The site’s guides to hard drives and old routers cover those parts.