Nulife Glass’ Unique Solution to CRT Recycling...
What do we do?
Nulife Glass has developed a unique solution to separate the lead (Pb) from the leaded glass structure in cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which are found in televisions and computer monitors.
Why is this important?
There are three main aspects to consider: the effects of lead, strict environmental legislation and increasing volume of waste.
The dangerous impact of lead poisoning on the human body, especially on the nervous system, and on our environment is well documented. It is presently banned in fuel, paint and pipes and more recently on all new electronics under the RoHS Directive.
Why can’t I use ordinary landfill?
CRTs contain leaded glass and in landfill the acidic nature of ground water accelerates lead to leach into watercourses. The lead content in the glass of a CRT can be as high as 20%, which means a single 34” television could contain more than 1kg of lead.
In a bid to fight this problem European legislation classifies the television and computer screen as Hazardous Waste. Under the Landfill Directive, CRTs cannot be disposed of in ordinary waste landfill. Added to this, the WEEE Directive makes it obligatory to recycle our electronic waste from 1st July 2007.
In the UK alone, a conservative estimate suggests there are approximately 60 million TV sets and 40 million computer screens. The sheer volume of waste we are creating, combined with the strict legislation, ensures our process is essential in the UK’s fight to safely and easily recycle leaded CRT glass. Globally there are at least 1.9 billion CRTs still in use so this is a waste stream that is going to remain an issue for many years to come.
