Recycling old TV equipment
Wait! - You don't have to get new TV equipment for the switchover
Just about any TV can be converted to digital with a digital box (find out your options for going digital).
Video recorders can be connected to your digital box to record what you are watching, but will not be able to record one channel while you watch another. If you do this, it is generally easier to buy a digital box with a digital recorder built-in (find out your recording options).
If you want to buy new equipment, please make sure you dispose of your old TVs and recorders responsibly
Old TVs and recorders may contain materials and chemicals that can harm the environment, including lead, dangerous phosphors and glass. Dumping them on the street or putting them out with your general household rubbish means they end up in landfills where they are hazardous and will pollute the environment. To dispose of old equipment responsibly, follow our Green Tips for disposal.
Do not throw your old equipment out with normal household waste. It could end up in landfill sites where it can be harmful both to the environment and humans.
Find out how to safely get rid of your old equipment here
How to dispose of old TV equipment
To make sure your old equipment is properly recycled you can:
1) Take it to a waste site that collects old TVs and recorders, known as a 'Designated Collection Facility'.
2) Take it back to the electrical retailer you brought it from. When you buy a new electrical product on or after 1 July 2007, you should ask the shop how they are going to take back your old one. They have to do this for free when you make a like-for-like purchase (for example take back your old toaster when you buy a new one), no matter where you brought the original product. Shops can take back goods in store or tell you where your nearest local drop off point is (for example, your council's waste or recycling site). If you have bought a new item the shop should allow you a reasonable period after you have brought it to return the old equipment it is replacing. You can also ask the shop if they provide a collection service and what it costs.
3) If you are a Sky or Virgin Media subscriber replacing old equipment with new equipment, the Sky or Virgin Media engineer will take away your old kit for you free of charge.
4) If you have old or redundant Sky equipment, go to www.sky.com/environment to find out how Sky will help you recycle if for free.
If you have old Virgin Media equipment, the Virgin Media Collection Teams can pick-up and re-use or recycle your old equipment. Simply call the Virgin Media customer service team on 0845 840 7777.
Any of these methods will ensure that your equipment is disposed of safely, and they may be able to recycle some component materials for the TVs of the future.
For more information on digital television and energy consumption check our Frequently Asked Questions section.
