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A public resource guide
Free TV and electronics removal in Boston, MA
Other electronics to a Zero Waste Day drop-off or retailer take-back.
Checked against Boston Public Works
Home › By item › TV and electronics › Boston
A public resource guide
Other electronics to a Zero Waste Day drop-off or retailer take-back.
Checked against Boston Public Works
6 a.m.
furniture out with regular trash on your collection day, no appointment
10
mattress or box spring pickups per household per year, by BOS:311 appointment
311
to schedule refrigerators, air conditioners, and CRT TVs
Every route for a TV or electronics in Boston, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full Boston guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in Boston, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
Boston curbside furniture and special item collection: TVs and electronics
Free, with a BOS:311 appointmentOld-style CRT TVs are collected by BOS:311 appointment. Flat screens, computers, and other electronics are banned from Massachusetts trash and go to a Zero Waste Day drop-off or retailer take-back.
Who qualifies: Properties that get City of Boston trash collection (generally 1 to 6 units). Larger buildings with private haulers handle their own; the city still collects special items by appointment for buildings it serves.
How to schedule: Furniture goes out with regular trash on your collection day, no appointment. Mattresses, box springs, refrigerators, air conditioners, and old-style TVs must be scheduled through BOS:311 (311.boston.gov, the app, or 617-635-4500).
Limits: Curbside mattress and box spring pickups are limited to 10 per household per calendar year. Special item appointments cover items containing Freon and cathode ray tubes.
Set-out: Curbside where your trash is collected, by 6 a.m. on your collection or appointment day and no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before. Items on private property are not collected, and unscheduled mattresses or appliances at the curb draw fines.
Boston Zero Waste Day and hazardous waste drop-offs: TVs and electronics
FreeElectronics accepted at drop-off events.
Where: Rotating drop-off events; schedule at boston.gov
How it works: Electronics, hazardous waste, and other banned items from Boston residents. Check boston.gov for current dates.
Donation pickup in Boston (usable TVs and electronics)
FreeBoston’s donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
Items typically not accepted: damaged or stained furniture, mattresses with bedbug history or significant wear, appliances that don’t work, particle-board furniture in poor condition, cribs (federal safety regulations have changed), and exercise equipment that requires reassembly. Always call before scheduling if you’re unsure, pickups that find unacceptable items will leave them behind.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in Boston: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering TVs and electronics, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in Boston: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
Boston offers free curbside bulk pickup through BOS:311 for residential properties, furniture goes out with regular trash, while appliances and mattresses must be scheduled. Massachusetts state law (the MassDEP waste bans) makes special collection mandatory for Freon-containing appliances and CRT electronics, you can’t throw them in the trash. Boston also has the unique Patriots' Day collection delay in April that catches transplants off guard, and as of November 2022, clothing and textiles are banned from curbside trash statewide. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The Boston rule for TVs and electronics: Old-style CRT TVs are collected by BOS:311 appointment. Flat screens, computers, and other electronics are banned from Massachusetts trash and go to a Zero Waste Day drop-off or retailer take-back.
Program basics: Curbside mattress and box spring pickups are limited to 10 per household per calendar year. Special item appointments cover items containing Freon and cathode ray tubes. Curbside where your trash is collected, by 6 a.m. on your collection or appointment day and no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before. Items on private property are not collected, and unscheduled mattresses or appliances at the curb draw fines.
What the city will not take: Mattresses, large appliances, TVs, textiles, batteries, and tires cannot go in the trash. Construction debris is not collected. Flat-screen electronics go to Zero Waste Day drop-offs under the Massachusetts electronics ban.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of Boston Public Works: Trash (furniture, appliances, special item collection), City of Boston: Mattress Recycling, City of Boston: Trash and Recycling in Large Residential Buildings. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in Boston. Boston hosts periodic Zero Waste Days events for hazardous waste, paint, and hard-to-recycle items. Several retailers also offer ongoing free recycling: Home Depot for batteries and CFL bulbs, AutoZone for motor oil and car batteries, Best Buy for electronics, and most pharmacies for unused medications. Massachusetts has comprehensive landfill bans on specific materials (the MassDEP waste bans introduced starting in 1990), making proper disposal of hazardous items legally required, not optional.
Why TVs and electronics are different from ordinary bulk. Electronics fall into a unique disposal category: they’re NOT eligible for regular trash in 25+ states (NY, CA, IL, NJ, MA, OR, WA, MN, MI, CT, MD, NC, VA, OK, and others have e-waste laws), but free recycling is widely available through multiple channels.
Three mistakes that get TVs and electronics left at the curb:
When free options don’t fit (large CRT TVs, multiple items at once, can’t self-haul):
LoadUp paid TV or electronics pickup
$80+For households who need same-day service, have items beyond what curbside handles, or live in buildings without included bulk service, LoadUp offers professional removal in Boston with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your TV or electronics. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book TV or electronics pickup in Boston with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside Boston proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete Boston junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national tv and electronics disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for Boston: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does Boston pick up TVs and electronics for free?
CRT TVs by BOS:311 appointment. Other electronics to a Zero Waste Day drop-off or retailer take-back.
Where can I donate a TV or electronics in Boston?
Boston’s donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
How much does paid TV and electronics removal cost in Boston?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single TV or electronics pickup in Boston starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who need same-day service, have items beyond what curbside handles, or live in buildings without included bulk service, LoadUp offers professional removal in Boston with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s the simplest way to recycle electronics?
Best Buy in-store recycling. 1,000+ U.S. locations, accepts most electronics free at the customer service desk (limit 3 items per household per day). Computers, laptops, monitors under 32 inches, printers, small electronics, batteries, ink cartridges, and cables are free. CRT TVs and TVs over 32 inches: $30 fee each. No appointment needed.
Can I throw a TV in regular trash?
In most U.S. states, no. 25+ states (NY, CA, IL, NJ, MA, OR, WA, MN, MI, CT, MD, NC, VA, OK, and others) have e-waste laws that ban TVs from regular trash. Even in states without e-waste laws, most cities ban TVs from regular bulk pickup. Free TV recycling is available through Best Buy ($30 for CRT or over 32 in), state e-waste programs, and city drop-off sites.
How do I wipe my hard drive before recycling a computer?
Three options: (1) Software wipe, download free DBAN (Darik’s Boot and Nuke) or use built-in OS tools (Windows: Reset PC with “remove everything” + clean drive; Mac: Erase Assistant in System Settings). (2) Physical destruction, remove the hard drive and physically destroy it (drill holes, hammer). (3) Best Buy free data destruction service, included with electronics drop-off. Option 3 is easiest if you’re using Best Buy for disposal anyway.
Why are CRT TVs more expensive to recycle?
CRT (cathode ray tube) TVs contain 4 to 8 lbs of leaded glass per tube, plus phosphors and other heavy metals. Modern flat-screen TVs are dramatically less hazardous and cheaper to recycle. CRT recyclers must handle the leaded glass through specialized facilities, which costs $20 to $50 per TV. Retailer recycling fees ($30 at Best Buy) and city drop-off fees ($10 to $30) cover this cost. State e-waste programs (NY, CA, IL, others) absorb the cost through manufacturer fees on new electronics.
Is this Boston page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full Boston guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.