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A public resource guide
Other electronics go to the city's household hazardous waste drop-off or a retailer take-back program.
Checked against San Antonio SWMD
2
bulky collection weeks a year, plus 2 separate brush weeks
8 cu yd
maximum pile, within 8 feet of the curb
4
Bulky Waste Collection Centers, free with your CPS Energy bill
Every route for a TV or electronics in San Antonio, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full San Antonio guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in San Antonio, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
San Antonio curbside bulky item collection: TVs and electronics
Free, with a step firstThe city's bulky list allows up to 3 TVs per household per collection. Computers and other electronics are not bulky waste; the city's household hazardous waste program and retailer take-back handle those.
Who qualifies: City of San Antonio residential solid waste customers (the city-cart households). Apartment complexes use private haulers.
How to schedule: No appointment. Bulky collection comes twice a year and brush collection twice a year, on separate weeks. A door hanger arrives 7 to 10 days ahead with your set-out date; Find My Collection Day on sa.gov gives an estimate. Need it sooner? Request an out-of-cycle collection through 311 or 210-207-6000 for a fee estimate.
Limits: Up to 8 cubic yards per pile. Brush and bulky are separate services: a bulky pile that contains brush can be fined up to $2,000 a day plus a collection fee.
Set-out: Pile at the curb in front of your house (even if your garbage is collected in the alley), within 8 feet of the curb, by 7 a.m. Monday of your collection week, clear of parked cars, fences, trees, and meters. Crews can take all week to come through.
Donation pickup in San Antonio (usable TVs and electronics)
FreeSan Antonio’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 San Antonio: 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 San Antonio: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
San Antonio runs a tightly structured but generous system: biannual curbside Brush & Bulky pickup (twice each per year, so 4 collections total spread throughout the year) with door-hanger notifications about 7-10 days before your week, a three-cart system (brown trash weekly, blue recycling weekly, green organics/composting weekly), and four FREE Bulky Waste Collection Centers open year-round for residents. The trade-off is the strict Tarp Law (Ordinance No. 2015-09-10-0760) requiring residents to cover brush loads or face a $5 penalty. Annual Free Landfill Day on Saturday, February 14, 2026 (8 AM-1 PM) offers an additional free disposal opportunity. This page walks through every legitimate option in order from free to paid.
The San Antonio rule for TVs and electronics: The city's bulky list allows up to 3 TVs per household per collection. Computers and other electronics are not bulky waste; the city's household hazardous waste program and retailer take-back handle those.
Program basics: Up to 8 cubic yards per pile. Brush and bulky are separate services: a bulky pile that contains brush can be fined up to $2,000 a day plus a collection fee. Pile at the curb in front of your house (even if your garbage is collected in the alley), within 8 feet of the curb, by 7 a.m. Monday of your collection week, clear of parked cars, fences, trees, and meters. Crews can take all week to come through.
What the city will not take: Brush in the bulky pile, construction debris, glass and mirrors, household hazardous waste, auto parts, and anything from a business.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of San Antonio SWMD: Curbside Brush and Bulky Item Collection, City of San Antonio SWMD: Bulky Waste Collection Centers. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Hazardous and regulated components in San Antonio. San Antonio residents have multiple free HHW disposal options: (1) ONE permanent HHW center (Tue-Fri 8 AM-5 PM, Sat 8 AM-12 PM), (2) ONE monthly drop-off center on the first Friday/Saturday of each month (8 AM-12 PM), and (3) THREE quarterly mobile HHW collection events at rotating locations. All FREE for residents. Limits: paint and liquid waste 5 cans of 5-gallon size and 25 cans of 1-gallon size, with 220-lb max per container. 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, Walgreens for unused medications. The San Antonio River Authority hosts six free Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events each year in Wilson, Karnes, and Goliad counties (semi-annual events in spring and fall) for those county residents.
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, can’t wait until next Brush & Bulky week, exceed Bulky Center limits, have items the city won’t accept, live in apartment buildings, or want full-service in-home pickup, LoadUp offers professional removal in San Antonio 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 San Antonio with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside San Antonio proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete San Antonio 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 San Antonio: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, dresser, bed frame and box spring, dishwasher.
Does San Antonio pick up TVs and electronics for free?
Up to 3 TVs can go in your bulky pile. Other electronics go to the city’s household hazardous waste drop-off or a retailer take-back program.
Where can I donate a TV or electronics in San Antonio?
San Antonio’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 San Antonio?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single TV or electronics pickup in San Antonio 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, can't wait until next Brush & Bulky week, exceed Bulky Center limits, have items the city won't accept, live in apartment buildings, or want full-service in-home pickup, LoadUp offers professional removal in San Antonio 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 San Antonio page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full San Antonio guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.