Working electronics may have a reuse route. Broken devices, screens, batteries, and business equipment usually need a recycler or a local facility that accepts that exact item. Start with the device type, ownership, and data risk.
Use this decision table
| Item condition | First option to check | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Working and current | Donation or manufacturer trade-in | Is this model accepted, and must it include cords or a charger? |
| Broken computer or accessory | Local electronics program or recycler | Are there quantity limits or fees? |
| Television or CRT monitor | Facility that explicitly lists screens | Is this screen type accepted today, and what is the charge? |
| Device with personal data | Recycler with documented data-destruction options | What proof of erasure or destruction is provided? |
| Loose lithium battery | Dedicated battery collection | How should terminals be protected for drop-off? |
What Tennessee guidance says
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation groups batteries, oil, paint, antifreeze, and electronics under BOPAE programs. It says city and county convenience centers collect many of these materials and explains that electronics with a circuit board or battery may have hazardous characteristics.
Tennessee also warns that lithium batteries do not belong in household trash and should be recycled separately. Follow the receiving program’s instructions for taping or packaging battery terminals instead of guessing.
What Knoxville currently accepts
The City of Knoxville Household Hazardous Waste page lists computer systems and accessories, cell phones, chargers, string lights, and other electronics. It excludes televisions from that household-hazardous-waste list and says TVs can be disposed of at the Solid Waste Facility for a fee. The city’s Specialty Recycling and Donations Guide points residents to the facility at 1033 Elm Street for electronics and additional local options.
Data-cleanup checklist
- Back up files you need.
- Sign out of accounts and remove the device from account-management pages.
- Use the manufacturer’s documented reset or erasure process.
- Remove SIM cards, memory cards, and external drives.
- For sensitive business or client data, use a provider that documents its destruction process.
For help moving multiple devices, monitors, office equipment, or mixed household electronics, start with the electronics recycling service. Ask about each screen and battery type before it is added to the load.
Sources checked October 8, 2026. Tennessee guidance: TDEC BOPAE. Knoxville guidance: Household Hazardous Waste and Specialty Recycling & Donations Guide.