E - WA S T E
Recycling of CRT display devices includes manual separation of large assemblies such as CRT, PCB, case/cabinet and power cord. The cathode ray rube is broken into two glass types based on lead content. After cleaning and rinsing, the broken glass is recycled by a CRT manufacturing company and used as a raw material. The monitor case or cabinet is a compound of polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) and is recycled into another secondary plastic product. The printed circuit board, power cord and other multi-material parts are smelted to extract copper, steel, aluminum, lead and small amounts of precious metals. The recycling of the majority of materials from CRT display devices results in GHG emissions of 0.28 MTCE/ton. Using recycled materials in place of virgin materials avoids more than 90 per cent of GHG emissions from raw material acquisition and manufacturing.
materials are recycled into new products or secondary materials as compared to production using virgin materials. By far, recycling has proven benefits not only in the reduction of GHG emissions but also other environmental impacts compared to other waste management options. Recycling presents an opportunity for GHG reductions at the manufacturing stage, increased forest carbon sequestration, and avoidance of GHG generation from landfill operations. It’s worth noting that although the analysis was based on available life-cycle data, uncertainties exist in determining the emission factors considering that CRT display devices are complex composite products. It’s necessary to continuously assess the assumptions and data used as manufacturing and recycling processes change. Since most of the data were average national values, actual GHG impacts will vary depending on individual conditions.
Conclusion
Jason Lim is CEO of Toronto Recycling Inc. in Toronto, Ontario. Contact Jason at jason@torontorecycling.com
The study determined that only 10 per cent of GHG emissions are generated when recovered
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