Sweeep Kuusakoski - Glass Recycling - Importance of CRT Recycling

Removing lead from glass and our environment

We are very much aware of the dangerous impact of lead poisoning on the human body, especially on the nervous system, and on our environment. Lead is presently banned in fuel, paint and pipes and more recently on all new electronics under the new RoHS Directive.

European legislation classifies television and computer screens 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.

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 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.