Electronics and E-Waste: Why They Do Not Go in the Trailer

Electronics show up in nearly every cleanout, especially garages and estates. They are one of the categories that needs to be set aside rather than thrown in.

Why they are treated differently

Electronics contain materials that should not go to a landfill — heavy metals in circuit boards, lead in older screens, and lithium in batteries. They also contain recoverable materials, which is why dedicated recycling programs exist.

The battery issue is the practical one. Lithium batteries in a compacted load are a genuine fire risk at transfer stations and in collection vehicles, which is why they are excluded everywhere.

What counts as e-waste

• Televisions of every type, and computer monitors
• Desktops, laptops, tablets and phones
• Printers, scanners and fax machines
• Stereo equipment, speakers and receivers
• Game consoles
• Routers, modems and networking equipment
• Anything with a rechargeable battery
• Small appliances with circuit boards, in some programs

Where they go

Both Pinellas and Hillsborough County operate household hazardous waste and electronics collection facilities, and several municipalities run periodic collection events. Pasco County has its own program.

Check your county's solid waste website for current locations, hours and any residency or quantity limits — these change, and there is no point us printing a schedule that is out of date by the time you read it.

Other options worth knowing:

• **Retailer take-back.** Several large electronics retailers accept old equipment for recycling, sometimes free.
• **Manufacturer programs**, particularly for printers and computers.
• **Certified e-waste recyclers**, which are the right answer for business quantities.
• **Donation**, for equipment that still works — schools, nonprofits and community programs often take it.

Batteries

• **Car and marine batteries** — most auto parts retailers take them back, often with a core credit.
• **Rechargeable batteries** — county household hazardous waste, or retailer collection bins.
• **Lithium batteries in devices** — leave them in the device and recycle as e-waste.
• **Alkaline household batteries** — check your county's current guidance, which varies.
• **Damaged, swollen or leaking batteries** — handle carefully, do not puncture, and take them to a hazardous waste facility.

Televisions specifically

Old CRT televisions are the heaviest and most awkward item in this category, and the one people most want to just throw in. They contain leaded glass and they are specifically excluded from ordinary disposal.

Flat panels are lighter but still e-waste. Neither goes in the trailer.

What we can take

Plenty of related items are fine in a dump trailer — furniture the electronics were sitting on, cabinets, shelving, packaging, cabling in small amounts, and ordinary household junk.

The rule is simple: if it plugs in and has a circuit board or a battery, set it aside.

Sort as you go

Put a box by the driveway for electronics at the start of a cleanout. It is far easier than digging a monitor out of a loaded trailer. Our guide to what you cannot put in a dump trailer covers the full exclusion list.

Questions about a specific item? Call (727) 779-8919.