The CRT Problem
Lead & toxins in CRTs pose a significant threat to people and the environment.
Of all components in the electronic waste stream, Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) present the greatest challenge and pose the most significant danger. CRTs are in televisions and computer monitors and more than 100 million will become obsolete this year alone. About 40 million are thrown away every year and that’s likely to increase as people discard another estimated 500 million CRTs out of use and in storage in basements, garages and store rooms all over the country.
Five Toxic Metals are used in CRT’s including Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium and Brominated Flame Retardants, and roughly four pounds of lead — the most dangerous and damaging of the toxic metals in CRTs.
Lead doesn’t naturally break down and threatens damage to people and the planet indefinitely. Because the body can’t get rid of lead, or any toxic metal, as quickly as they are taken in, toxins build up, increasingly putting the body at risk. The same build up happens in plants and animals which results in biomagnification — an increased concentration of metal in people and animals as we eat contaminated plants and animals.
Lead is dangerous to almost every organ especially, the central nervous system. High exposure can cause brain damage, kidney damage and pregnancy miscarriages. High concentrations of lead can also affect brain development in children.
Lead endangers our soil and drinking water. Although, under normal conditions, lead does not react with water, when the metallic lead in CRT’s gets wet, it becomes more reactive. That’s when lead hydroxide can form and release into the air where it remains indefinitely. When it does finally fall, lead sticks to soil and leaches into groundwater.
CRTs are dangerously explosive. Because of its large volume and surface area, the force exerted on a CRT by atmospheric pressure is immense. The total force on a 10-inch CRT may exceed 4,000 pounds. More than 1,000 pounds is exerted on the CRT face alone and when broken a large implosion occurs. Nearly two tons of force will thrust glass fragments toward the center of the tube. A CRT is, in essence, a small fragmentation bomb, so properly trained technicians using equipment specifically for CRT disassembly is essential for safety.