How to Recycle a CRT TV

 
How to Recycle a CRT TV
 
The so-called CRT or cathode ray tube TVs contain hazardous waste such as lead and mercury, and not just a touch of lead - up to 8 pounds of material. Electronic recycling policies are not the same in every community, so recycling of old CRT TV may not be hard for some people. You can find a good recycling option with persistence no matter where you live.
 
Instructions
Call your city's recycling program and find out if they accept CRT TVs for recycling. This is the easiest option, but not all communities do this. If it is your case, determine if you bring the old TV to a recycling center or leave it on the sidewalk for collection.
 
Search for other recycling centers near you that accept TVs.
Visit a nearby recycling station to discuss TV recycling. This electronics store offers free TV recycling when you buy a new TV through them, and paid for the electronics recycling to dispose of your old CRT TV.
Check with your TV manufacturer to see if they have TV recycling programs. If so, find out how to recycle your old CRT TV. You may have to mail the unit or take it back to a place of return.
 
Check with senior centers, youth centers, religious groups, and nonprofit organizations to see if they need television. If your old CRT TV works, give it to one of these groups.
 
How cathode ray tube televisions are recycled
Television sets are everyday items in living rooms, rooms and even kitchens in our homes, windows to the world that allow us to access information and entertainment content of all kinds. But when they become waste that requires specific recycling processes to avoid their negative impact on the environment.
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) televisions are the oldest technology used in the manufacture of this type of equipment, although there is still some waste of this type that still requires a specific recycling process.
 
One of the most common procedures is to subject them to a preliminary phase of manual disassembly, selecting and separating the casings according to their composition, in order to subsequently recycle them. The tube must be separated, to obtain the front and cone glass, by diamond cutting or a thermal stressing procedure.
 
At this point, the phosphorescent powder present in the front glass is extracted, while the glass that forms the cone, which contains lead, is sent to authorized managers who can provide the appropriate processing. The correct separation of the two types of glass is a key element, since if it is not done correctly; the recycling targets cannot be achieved.
 
By means of the process described above, the recycling of televisions and monitors makes it possible to recover different materials, of which glass accounts for more than half the weight of the total, followed by metals (ferrous and non-ferrous) and plastics. The metals are directly directed to the foundries, while the recovered plastics re-enter the production process of new plastics.
 
To give just a few examples of how the recovered materials become part of a new value chain, we can point out that the glass containing lead, coming from the screens, is used in the manufacture of various types of ceramics, while the front glass, without lead, can be used in the production of new crystals.
 
Currently, the available technology allows the percentage of material recovery of this equipment to be around 87%, which can be used for the manufacture of new products.
 
What can be recycled from the inside of a TV?
 
Televisions may not be the first items you consider when you think about recycling, but they contain several components that can be reused. With the switch from analog to digital and the advent of flat screen technology, you may be thinking about replacing your TV with a newer model. Recycling can be an environmentally friendly option and you can enlist the help of specialized organizations to assist you.
 
Americans discarded 27 million televisions and stored 99 million more in 2007, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The televisions contain glass, copper and aluminum, which can be used again. However, they also contain the toxic chemicals mercury and cadmium, which can be harmful to the environment. In some states, including California, it is illegal to throw away or dispose of a television in a landfill.
 
Components
Recyclable components on your television include the screen glass, internal circuit boards, the plastic used for the outer casing and the scrap metals that can be found inside the TV, such as copper or aluminum. These metals usually melt and become new components or products. The glass of CRT displays may contain toxic levels of lead. Electronic recycling organizations will remove and shred the glass in a controlled environment before cleaning it for reuse.
 
Method
If you want to recycle all or part of your TV, look for local companies that will advise you and collect your electronic devices. If your TV can still be used, for example, if you have replaced it with a newer model, you can also contact nonprofit organizations in your area that could use all the components of your TV. Once you have found a suitable company to contact, they will advise you on whether any of the components can be recycled as they are, or whether they need to be treated before reuse. They will then take over the recycling process.
 
Considerations
Televisions can contain toxic chemicals that can be hazardous to your health if you are exposed to them. Therefore, you should never try to dismantle a television in your home. Electronic recycling companies often offer special facilities to dismantle and treat the various recyclable components of a television, as well as to dispose of the other parts safely. Older CRT televisions can also contain high levels of static electricity, which can cause electric shock or injury if not disposed of properly.