When your old television or computer monitor finally gives up, it can be tempting to shove it into the general waste bin or leave it on the kerb. Please don't. Screens are classic e-waste, and older ones in particular can contain hazardous materials — lead, mercury, and other heavy metals — that leach into soil and waterways if they end up in landfill. On top of that, TVs and monitors hold valuable recoverable resources like glass, aluminium, copper and circuit-board metals. Disposing of them properly keeps the nasty stuff contained and gives the good stuff a second life.

The first thing to know is that screens do not go in any of your kerbside bins. The yellow recycling bin is only for the accepted range of paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, and rigid plastics — never electronics. A monitor won't be collected from your red general-waste bin either, and dumping one is illegal fly-tipping. E-waste needs a dedicated recycling route, so the goal is to get your screen to a place set up to handle it.

Your best options are an e-waste drop-off point or a transfer station that accepts electronics. Many councils run e-waste collection through their transfer stations or community recycling centres, and there are commercial e-waste recyclers in most main centres. Be aware that recycling screens usually carries a fee — often somewhere around $20 to $40 depending on the size and the operator — because the safe dismantling process is labour-intensive. That fee is money well spent to ensure the hazardous components are dealt with responsibly rather than crushed into the ground.

Before you head off, do a bit of homework. Search for 'e-waste recycling' plus your town, or check your local council website for accepted-material lists and drop-off locations, as rules and services genuinely vary from one district to another. It's also worth keeping an eye out for community e-day or e-waste collection events, which some councils and organisations run periodically and sometimes offer free or subsidised drop-off. If your device is a computer, remember to securely wipe or physically remove and destroy any hard drives or storage first to protect your personal data.

If the TV or monitor still works, or only has a minor fault, consider whether it can be reused or repaired before recycling it. A repair café, a local repairer, or an online marketplace listing can keep a functioning screen in use for years longer. Charities and community groups sometimes accept working electronics too, though it's polite to ring ahead rather than dropping off something that may not work.

The simple takeaway: never bin a broken screen and never dump it. Treat it as e-waste, find an accredited e-waste recycler or a transfer station that takes electronics, be prepared for a small recycling fee, wipe your data first, and check your local council for the exact options in your area. A little effort keeps toxic materials out of the environment and valuable metals back in circulation.