A Few Questions

[narcolepticroger]

Hello all. I have a few questions if you don't mind me picking your brains. I want to start to deconstruct t.v.'s and crt monitors. The thing that is stopping me at the moment is I do not know of any place in the Boston area that recycles the lead based glass. If anyone knows of any ideas of where I can find someone or who to call would you mind sharing please? My other question I am not sure if this should go under the e-scrap or not forgive me if I put it in the wrong place. I want to also start to recycle the printed circuit boards for the precious metals on them. I am not going to be able to burn them or use chemicals the two methods I have researched. The other options I have heard is crushing them or putting them into a grinder and then sifting out the metals from power from remains of the board. Does anyone have any knowledge with either method. Thank you for your input in advance.

[ScrapMetalJunkie]

The CRT leaded glass from TVs and computer monitors is hard to get rid of in some states. In some states it is illegal, or others, it is restricted in other ways. I am not sure about the boston area, however I do know that every best buy will charge you $10 per CRT for recycling, and then give you a $10 gift card in return. I see people take advantage of that in so many ways, but if you can avoid best buy, I would do that.

If your municipality has no qualms over taking leaded glass tubes, then many scrappers will recover the CRT and set it to the curb... "How do I know?" you may ask. I have cracked open a few monitors that have been missing the guts before.

Also, there are no precious metals in the computer monitors, and TVs. These are considered "low grade" boards. As for the refining of "high grade boards" or boards that have precious metals, I would guess you will not be doing any grinding. Unfortunately, the only efficient and cost effective method involves chemicals.

[F.I.LetsGoFishing]

Check your local ordinance on the CRT's, Ours says that homeowners waste can not be deemed an illegal waste though the companies that pick it up can refuse to or the landfill can refuse to take it but as soon as it becomes part of a business then you have to dispose of as hazardous waste. I only watch used TVs and used monitors and they last about a week so to the curb they go and if the guts came up missing that's not my problem.
Asked a local tv shop what he does and was told he pays a yearly small quantity hazardous waste generator tax / fee every year and they tell him to release the vacuum and he can throw them in dumpster????

You know its all a big joke anyway as they all but a very low percentage end up in landfill anyway as the only viable use for the lead glass is to be ground and used as flux for cleaning more lead.
I asked some one I know very well who designed and trains municipalities on landfills what his thoughts were.and I quote.
" I would much rather see them in ours (US landfills) that today must pass such high standards that the threat of lead contamination from CTR's is negligible than see them shipped to china or India or third world country where the whole unit is pulverised, picked through and swept into an unlined landfill where it seeps into water streams that we have not even begun to understand where it flows and could possibly even end up back in country via underground and undersea tributaries. His only worry about them in our landfills is having them implode when hit with a dozer.

[fivegallonbucket]

Try CRT Recycling in Brockton. Someone told me they take monitors and may take them for free.
Here is their website. http://www.recyclingelectronics.com/
Good luck