CRT Recycling

What is a Cathode Ray Tube?

A Cathode Ray Tube, abbreviated “CRT”, is the main component in a television and computer monitors display unit. The CRT is a specialized vacuum tube in which images are produced when an electron beam strikes a phosphorescent surface. Phosphor screens using multiple beams of electrons have allowed CRTs to display millions of colors.  The CRT appears in the unit as a funnel-shaped, leaded glass tube with a metal frame inside. CRT’s may contain several pounds of lead, which is a toxic substance.

Why is there a need to recycle computer monitors?

While the rapid advances in technology have raised productivity to an all-time high, the life cycle of used computer monitors has dwindled down to about three years. Sooner or later your "obsolete" computer monitor ends up as high-tech trash - a permanent rest on the information super highway. Each year, over 5 million monitors are being sent to landfills.

But the story does not end there - and neither does your liability. For example, the cathode ray tubes (CRT's) in your discarded computer monitors contain traces of phosphorus, cadmium and 6-8 lbs of LEAD. These hazardous materials are sealed to protect users, but they will leach out into a landfill once the CRT is broken-and eventually find their way into the public water supply. Also, when the glass is crushed in a trash-compacting facility, the lead bearing particles become an airborne hazard. That's why since 1992, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) closely monitors CRT disposal methods. In 1993, the EPA began targeting companies that dispose of CRTs through landfills or incineration. Additionally, many state and local regulatory agencies are now monitoring the disposal of CRTs and other computer equipment.

Currently CRT technology is being phased out replaced with the LCDs, and we are witnessing a steady increase in the availability of this product on the market. However, CRTs possess an equal if not superior picture quality when compared to the LCD, but at only a fraction of the price, especially when they are purchased used.

Computer monitors that contain cathode ray tubes or CRTs can contain more than 8 pounds of lead.  Studies at Carnegie Melon and the National Recycling Coalition estimate between 300 and 500 million Personal Computers – PCs - will obsolesce by the end 2007.  Conservatively, that’s over a billion pounds of lead headed towards our landfills and potentially to our ground water supplies.

CRT Recycling Process:

• Material is usually delivered by pallets, although loose units can be accepted by arrangement.
• Plastic back panels are removed and sent directly from our facility to be shredded and recycled into ‘wood like material’.
• Cables are removed together with the power supply unit, electronic guns and metal castings, which are sent for recycling.
• The new 'clean' CRT unit is fed into the state of the art splitting machine which cuts along 'the frit' line using laser guided cutting blades to separate the two types of glass. The shadow mask is removed and sent for recycling.
• The 'phosphor' coating on the panel glass is removed by vacuum suction into a filter unit and the two glass fractions are now separated ready for recycling.
• This is a high volume system which effectively allows over 70% material recovery for recycling in compliance with the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive target for CRT's.