CRT & FlatScreen (TFT) Recycling

Due to their constituent components , Waste Monitors, whether CRT or TFT, working or faulty, are considered Hazardous. (see: what waste electronics are hazardous?). The Basel Convention (UNEP 1989)⁽¹⁾, a treaty prohibiting the trans-continental shipping of hazardous waste extends to cover all end of life monitors, whatever their condition. The UK is a signatory to this agreement, which means that if a screen is faulty and sent for recycling, it shouldn't be shipped to a developing country for disposal.

Hazardous waste regulations (Hazardous waste regulations 2005)⁽²⁾ don't allow the disposal of monitors in Landfill and the WEEE regulations (SI 2006 No.3289)⁽³⁾ require that they are recycled by Authorised Treatment Facilities⁽⁴⁾ where the waste hierarchy (3R's) must be applied to determine the most appropriate method of treatment.

Hazardous CRT Monitors & Televisions

Ping Wales offers a specialist service for CRT Monitors, which by their very design contain hazardous materials such as Lead, Brominated flame retardants, Phosphor and other heavy metals. This includes their full reprocessing to component level:

Activities:

• The separation of components inside CRT and TFT monitors and Televisions to BATRRT (Best Available Treatment Recovery and Recycling Techniques)⁽⁵⁾.
• Removal of the Yoke from the rear of the tube and recovery of the copper windings.
• The removal of Cathode Ray tubes, their granulation and use of the leaded glass as a feedstock in blast furnace works.
• The recovery and recycling of Aluminium Heat sinks, the printed circuit board and wiring.
• The safe recovery of plastics filled with bromiated Flame retardants.

TFT/ Flatscreen/ Plasma Monitors & Televisions

Recycling TFT screens presents a new problem for the industry. Their intricate design and inclusion of backlighting systems means that they must be manually broken down prior to any further recycling activities. Older models contain Brominated flame retardants and most contain Mercury salts in the backlights. Both compounds are hazardous to health and the environment.

Activities:

• The separation of mercury filled back lights from TFT monitors, their granulation and dry treatment for removal of mercury powders.
• The recovery of constituent materials including ferrous metals, aluminium and copper. Treatment of PCB bearing capacitors.
• The recovery of plastics including the casing and screen assembly.
• The seperate recovery of printed circuit boards and their refining.

Plasma Displays present a similar issue. However, this time, the screen is typically filled with a liquid that has to be drained from the unit in accordance with BATRRT before any further recycling work can be carried out.

Consigning Your Hazardous Wastes

We're fully aware of the regulations relating to the consigning and treatment of hazardous wastes and have numerous licenses that allow us to recycle Monitors in-house. We issue Hazardous Waste Consignment notes for all CRT and TFT screens we receive. We tell the Environment Agency about them as part of a quarterly reporting service that all waste management facilities are required to carry out.

Our collection staff will issue you with a copy of this note, along with a EWC (European Waste Catalogue, also known as "The list of Wastes")⁽⁶⁾ coding note at the time of collection. You may be required to register as a hazardous waste producer with the Environment Agency, so as to ensure complete compliance, but we will advise you with regard to this at the time of booking our service.