TUCSON, Ariz. - President Barack Obama signed the DTV Delay Act Feb. 11, postponing the transition from analog to digital television broadcasts from Feb. 17 until June 12.

The transition from analog to digital broadcast has been in the works for nearly 10 years. switch so that the United States could have broadcasting technology equivalent to what is available in Europe and to free up channels for better emergency transmission.

To prepare for the switch, TV viewers in the U.S. have had to do one of a number of things -- sign up with a cable provider, buy a digital converter box to hook to their old analog television, or buy a digital television.

Which raises the question: what happens to the many analog televisions people have decided not to keep?

Televisions contain numerous toxins that can be harmful to the environment if not disposed of or handled correctly. Some of these toxins include mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenics, all of which can affect human health.

According to Catalina Sanchez, an environmental specialist at the Los Reales Landfill, even the flame retardant in the plastic casings can be harmful to people and the environment because they are known to cause cancer.

“Because of the toxins, televisions have been banned from the landfills in many states, including Arizona,” Sanchez said. “Los Reales and other landfills have designated areas for broken or unwanted televisions and other electronics.”

What Happens Once TVs Are at the Dump?

The Los Reales Landfill has a contract with RISE Equipment Recycling Center (formerly known as Pima Computer Recycling), which allows RISE to pick up the electronics and bring them back to their warehouse, where the electronics are then separated into categories.

“After we pick up the electronics from the landfill, we separate the TVs from all of the other electronics and send them to a recycling plant where they have the equipment to extract all the recyclable materials,” said Luis Wofford, RISE warehouse supervisor.

RISE doesn’t have equipment needed to extract the recyclable materials such as metals, glass, and some plastics. RISE also doesn’t have the ability or expertise to properly dispose of the toxins in the TVs.

According to Wofford, because of the digital transition there has been an increased amount of televisions at the landfill for the past eight to 12 months. He expects that with the delay, the number of televisions people are bringing to the landfill will remain higher than normal.

Donation as a form of Recycling

While many people are buying new digital televisions, it doesn’t necessarily mean the old analog TVs don’t work. Often they are still in good shape.

Organizations such as Goodwill and other thrift shops accept working televisions.

According to Summer Dimmick, Goodwill store manager at 4995 E. Speedway Blvd., people are always coming in looking for televisions. TVs usually sell within a week, he said.

“We welcome any TV donation, as long as it works,” Dimmick said. “The people who come to Goodwill looking for a TV don’t care if it’s old or analog; they just want to be able to own one.”

Although Dimmick said the shoppers don’t care, Goodwill is in the process of making sure that each analog television is compatible with the digital converter box.

“We want to make sure that people are going to get something that works,” he said.

Wayne Swedeen, owner of A Amphi TV, 3458 N. First Ave., says he often comes to work in the morning to find TVs that have been dropped off at his repair shop.

“Usually I check to see what kind of shape they are in and if they work,” Swedeen said. “If they do I generally donate them to charity, and if they don’t, I have a guy who comes and collects them and then recycles them.”

That guy is Felix Martinez. Martinez is a retired electronics specialist who now fixes broken TVs in his free time. He picks up broken TVs from Swedeen and other television repair shops around Tucson.

"I go collect the TVs whenever they call and say they have them," Martinez said. "Sometimes it's twice a week and other times it's only once a month."

While collection from the repair shops has always been random, Martinez says that he has noticed an increase recently in the amount of TVs he receives from friends or other people who know he repairs them.

"Before, my garage was full of televisions," said Martinez. "Now it's my garage and half of my backyard."

Martinez donates the TVs he does fix to thrift shops or other charitable organizations. The ones he cannot fix he recycles.

“I know what metals can be recycled from a TV, and I remove them,” Martinez said.

Martinez then takes what he can't recycle to the landfill to be disposed of properly.

For a list of places that accept working or non-working TVs visit Tucson Clean and Beautiful's Web site.