Electronics Recycling · Charlotte, NC
TV Recycling in Charlotte
Before you go
Five minutes here decides whether you pay a fee and whether they take it at all.
Work out whether it's a CRT or a flat panel
A CRT is deep, heavy for its size, and has a thick glass front. It holds several pounds of lead bound into the funnel glass, which costs more to process than the recovered material is worth. That is the category most likely to carry a fee, and the fee depends on your state. Flat panels are usually cheaper or free.
Measure the screen corner to corner
Screen size decides whether a store will take it at all, not what it costs. Retail take-back is commonly capped around 50 inches, and a larger set is refused at the counter rather than quoted a higher price. Where a fee applies it is usually flat per item, and a few states set it to nothing.
Take the stand off
Stands and wall brackets are steel and plastic that get handled as scrap. Some sites won't accept a set still bolted to a mount, and it's a two-minute job with a screwdriver.
Bring the power cable and the remote
Both are accepted alongside the set. Left at home they're just drawer clutter you'll deal with again later.
Don't let the screen break
A cracked CRT is a hazardous-waste problem rather than a recycling one. Some facilities refuse a broken tube outright and others charge more for it. Lay it face-down on a blanket for the drive.
Compare options
TV Recycling in Charlotte
2 free · 1 fee-based
| Facility | Cost | Open now | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mecklenburg County - Foxhole Recycling Center (E-Waste)(704) 752-5827 | Free | ||
| Mecklenburg County - Hickory Grove Recycling Center (Full HHW)(704) 563-6359 | Free | ||
| Paid or fee-based options | |||
| Best Buy (North Lake)(704) 587-1760 | Fee for this |
||
Where they are
Relative positions across Charlotte. Not a street map: use Directions on a facility page to navigate.
Free Fee or conditional
How it works in Charlotte
Landfill-banned in NC since July 1, 2011 (G.S. 130A-309.10). Curbside trash will not pick up TVs. Two options: (1) drop off free at any of the 4 Mecklenburg Full-Service Recycling Centers (blue sticker required, Mecklenburg residents only) Mon-Sat 7 a.m.-4 p.m.; or (2) schedule a city Bulky Item pickup through CLT+/311 for residents inside the City of Charlotte service area. Best Buy charges $29.99 for CRTs.
Local rules
- NC G.S. 130A-309.10 — statewide landfill ban (effective July 1, 2011) on televisions, computers, monitors, printers, scanners, fax/copy devices, and computer peripherals (except keyboards and mice). Curbside trash crews will not collect TVs or computers.
Worth knowing
- Mecklenburg also operates five smaller self-service centers that accept only the standard 6 curbside materials — no HHW, electronics, or paint at those.
- Curbside trash crews in Charlotte will not pick up TVs, computers, paint cans, or batteries.
Mecklenburg County household hazardous waste
Mecklenburg County Full-Service Recycling Centers
Four county centers accept HHW, electronics, and batteries. Mecklenburg County residents only — free with blue entry sticker.
16 more Charlotte rules, not specific to this item
- NC G.S. 130A-309.10(f), as amended by SL 2023-137 — lithium-ion battery landfill and incinerator ban statewide, effective December 1, 2026.
- NC statewide bans also in effect: used motor oil, motor-vehicle oil filters, antifreeze, aluminum cans, plastic bottles (all under G.S. 130A-309.10). Fluorescent lights banned from C&D landfills; photovoltaic modules banned in C&D effective Dec 1, 2026.
- Mecklenburg County Source Separation Ordinance — businesses generating 16+ cubic yards of trash per week AND more than 500 lb/month of corrugated cardboard and/or 500 lb/month of office paper must source-separate and recycle those materials. Roughly 4,900 businesses are covered.
- PaintCare does NOT operate in North Carolina. Latex and oil-based paint are handled through county HHW programs, not a producer-funded stewardship program.
- NC G.S. 130A-309.70 prohibits disposal of lead-acid batteries in landfills, incinerators, or waste-to-energy facilities; retailers selling lead-acid batteries must accept used ones for recycling.
- Mecklenburg County Solid Waste Ordinance (Chapter 54, County Code): regulates all county solid waste operations, facilities access, prohibited materials, and fee structures.
- Four Full-Service Recycling Centers: Foxhole (17131 Lancaster Hwy, 28277), Hickory Grove (8007 Pence Rd, 28215), Compost Central (140 Valleydale Rd, 28214), and North Mecklenburg (12300 N. Statesville Rd, Huntersville 28078).
- Free blue entry sticker required for Mecklenburg County residents at full-service centers; picked up at the fee booth on first visit with a NC driver's license/proof of residency.
- Non-residents may buy an annual out-of-county sticker at the fee booth for residential-equivalent access; without it, non-residents pay a per-entry fee for every visit (including recycling).
- All four full-service centers operate Mon-Sat 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.; closed Sunday.
- Hickory Grove and North Mecklenburg only accept trailers up to 12 ft long for bulky/C&D loads; trees up to 24-inch diameter at those two, up to 48-inch at Compost Central and Foxhole.
- Charlotte curbside green cart accepts only 6 item types — cardboard, cans, cartons, paper, glass bottles, plastic bottles/jugs with necks. No plastic tubs/clamshells, no bagged items. Collected every other week (Green/Orange week schedule).
- Lithium-ion battery fires have become a frequent operational issue at Mecklenburg's facilities — multiple same-day fires reported in April 2025 — driving an active county education campaign.
- Mecklenburg County HHW does not accept business hazardous waste day-to-day; businesses must use the quarterly Small Business HW Event (appointment required) or contract NC DEQ-listed haulers.
- PaintCare does not operate in NC, making Charlotte reliant solely on county HHW — unlike cities in PaintCare states (CO, OR, CA) where 200+ retail drop-off sites supplement municipal programs.
- The Mecklenburg County Source Separation Ordinance covers roughly 4,900 businesses — one of the most comprehensive commercial recycling mandates in the Southeast.
Other Charlotte programs
- Mecklenburg County Small Business Hazardous Waste EventQuarterly, by-appointment hazardous waste drop-off for Very Small Quantity Generators (VSQGs) — businesses, non-profits, churches generating <220 lb/month hazardous waste. Accepts fluorescents, pesticides, rechargeable batteries, paints, etc. Reduced fee.336-855-7925
- Mecklenburg County Metal & Tire Recovery CenterScrap metal and tire disposal at 5740 Rozzelles Ferry Rd, Charlotte. Commercial tire haulers must obtain a Tire Disposal Permit (TDP), renewed annually each July.704-336-2673
- Mecklenburg County Full-Service Recycling Centers (4 locations)HHW, electronics, paint, batteries, large appliances, bulky waste, scrap metal, tires, yard waste, and clean wood. Locations: Foxhole (17131 Lancaster Hwy, Charlotte), Hickory Grove (8007 Pence Rd, Charlotte), Compost Central (140 Valleydale Rd, Charlotte), North Mecklenburg (12300 N Statesville Rd, Huntersville). Mon-Sat 7AM-4PM. Free blue sticker required for residents.
- Self-Service Recycling Centers (5 locations)Five smaller staffed self-service centers (recycling only) accepting cardboard, cans, cartons, paper, glass bottles, and plastic bottles/jugs with necks — no HHW or electronics. Supplement the 4 full-service centers.704-336-2673
- Call2Recycle drop-off network (Charlotte)Public battery (rechargeable, lithium-ion, cellphone) drop-off bins at Home Depot and Lowe's stores throughout Charlotte (e.g., 1220 N Wendover Rd, 4750 South Blvd, 5415 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, 8135 University City Blvd, 9501 Albemarle Rd, 8192 S Tryon St).
- Greentec Auto / Greentec Recycling — CharlotteHybrid and EV battery replacement and recycling, including large-format lithium-ion packs; serves consumers and businesses in the Charlotte area (Greentec Auto facility in Concord, NC).
- City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services — Bulky Item & TV CollectionCharlotte residents can schedule bulky pickup through CLT+ / 311 for items including old televisions (city special-collection program separate from curbside trash).311 (704-336-7600)
- Batteries Plus — Charlotte locationsFree recycling for rechargeable and single-use batteries plus fluorescent bulbs/tubes at Charlotte-area Batteries Plus stores. Also accepts small electronics (phones, tablets) and ballasts for recycling.
- NC Department of Justice shred-event calendar (Charlotte area)Free community paper-shredding events hosted at Charlotte-area banks, credit unions, and police stations; typically cluster in April-May and September-October.
- Mecklenburg County Compost Central facilityAccepts yard waste for composting (leaves, grass, brush, limbs up to 48-inch diameter) at 140 Valleydale Rd, Charlotte. Finished compost and mulch available for purchase (free for residents with a blue sticker, limited quantities).
- Mecklenburg County Household Hazardous Waste Disposal ProgramYear-round HHW drop-off at all 4 Full-Service Recycling Centers. Accepts oil-based paint, pesticides, automotive fluids, acids/bases, fluorescent bulbs, rechargeable batteries, medications, and propane tanks. Combined 100-pound residential limit for paint plus HHW items per visit.
Where this came from: 15 sources
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/where-can-i-recycle (opens in a new tab)
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/services/household-hazardous-waste-disposal (opens in a new tab)
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/services/electronic-waste-disposal (opens in a new tab)
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/services/business-hazardous-waste-disposal (opens in a new tab)
- news.mecknc.gov/drop-rechargeable-batteries-full-service-recycling-centers (opens in a new tab)
- www.deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/environmental-assistance-and-customer-service/recycling-and-materials-management/programs-offered/recycling-support-local-government-and-state-agencies/material-disposal-regulations-and-support/north-carolina-landfill-disposal-bans (opens in a new tab)
- www.deq.nc.gov/batteries (opens in a new tab)
- www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_130a/gs_130a-309.10.html (opens in a new tab)
- www.paintcare.org/paintcare-states (opens in a new tab)
- locations.call2recycle.org/nc/charlotte (opens in a new tab)
- www.charlottenc.gov/Services/Trash-and-Recycling (opens in a new tab)
- wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov/Fees-Permits-Ordinances (opens in a new tab)
- www.bestbuy.com/site/services/recycling/pcmcat149900050025.c (opens in a new tab)
- www.batteriesplus.com/recycling (opens in a new tab)
- ncdoj.gov/protecting-consumers/identity-theft/nc-shred-events (opens in a new tab)
Common questions
About TV Recycling here
How much does TV recycling cost in this area?
2 of 3 facilities (67%) offer free recycling for TV. Facilities that may charge: Best Buy (North Lake). Best Buy (North Lake): Free. $30 fee for monitors/TVs if not purchasing replacement..
Do I need an appointment for TV drop-off?
No appointment needed. Mecklenburg County - Foxhole Recycling Center (E-Waste), Best Buy (North Lake), Mecklenburg County - Hickory Grove Recycling Center (Full HHW) accept walk-ins.
Is pickup available for TV?
Most facilities require you to drop off TV. Check individual listings for special arrangements.
Are there quantity limits for TV drop-off?
Some facilities have limits: Mecklenburg County - Foxhole Recycling Center (E-Waste): Residential quantities only; Best Buy (North Lake): 3 items per day; Mecklenburg County - Hickory Grove Recycling Center (Full HHW): Residential quantities Residential quantities only.
How much does TV recycling cost?
Flat-screen TVs under 50" are often free at municipal HHW facilities. Best Buy charges $30 for TVs under 50 inches. CRT TVs and larger flat-screens may have higher fees ($10-$50 depending on size).
Can I recycle a broken TV?
Yes — broken TVs are accepted but usually have a recycling fee because they require manual dismantling and hazardous material handling. CRT TVs (the heavy old ones) cannot be repaired and must be recycled.