Hi Laurent, CRTs are nasty items. An average 17" monitor holds 7.5 pounds of lead (protecting you from those radioactive isotopes). In your CRT computer monitor there is also phosphorous, cadmium, barium and mercury. As a product, these hazardous materials are safely sealed. (The lead is imbedded in the glass, for instance).
However, when the monitor is sent to a landfill, heavy equipment is used to compact the waste. This crushing and smashing of the waste causes the hazardous materials to be released and a leaching process can occur as a result of CRT breakage. These toxic materials will probably find their way into our water supply. When the glass is crushed by trash facilities, the lead-bearing particles and phosphors become an airborne hazard. Some states have banned CRT disposal in landfills. Here in Oregon, we have an "interim policy", meaning, folks are discouraged from dumping monitors. Our nonprofit takes in 20-100 monitors a week. We gift working monitors with the computers we give away, we sell some in our thrift store, and we recycle the monitors that are too small, to old, or broken. Besides our rent of $4500.00 a month, monitor recycling fees are our biggest expense. We are committed to not dumping in international back yards-a VERY big nasty secret within the recycling industry. Because we specialize in Macintosh, we are faced with an additional problem. Apple manufactures the wonderful "all in one" (AIO) computer. Monitor recyclers will not accept AIOs (more hardware to deal with, more screws in the take apart). Unless we are willing to pay $20.00 a piece to recycle the AIOs we are stuck with 00s and 100s of nonplacable machines. So, we have started a program were we dismantle the AIOs and recycle the bare CRTs. This lowers our cost and makes it possible to continue to work with schools (the biggest generator of AIO waste because they are the biggest buyer of them). I am delighted you are considering the impact of the dead monitor on your environment. Apple recently got some VERY bad press for not designing their products for recycability. Panasonic is really moving on this, so are a few big manufacturers. If you recycle your monitor with a responsible nonprofit or for-profit business, you can know that the material won't be dumped in other countries and the material will be reused. Lead from monitors is used to make new batteries, the glass may be used for road surfaces, the plastic may be used in your car dashboard, or new computer plastics, or maybe that new Barbie doll in the shop window. LEM list members ship us their monitors on a regular basis. If you ship, remember to include the $15.00 handling fee (whether the monitor works or not). raino On 5/26/05 8:47 AM, "Laurent Daudelin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Not really on topic, but since I didn't have any other place to ask... > > I have my Apple Studio Display 17 that stopped displaying a picture last > week. I did replace it with a 19" LCD display, so I'm not really trying to > repair it. > > However, I already had an Apple Studio Display 21 that stopped working last > year. So, I have 2 of those big CRTs taking space and I was wondering what > to do with them. I'm pretty sure that the problem is with the power supply > and somebody more experienced with televisions and CRTs might be able to > repair them. > > I'm not looking to repair them, just to get rid of them. I was thinking that > I could maybe offer them on the LEM-Swap list. > > Any suggestion? > > Thanks! > > -Laurent. -- G-Books is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- Check our web site for refurbished PowerBooks | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-Books list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-books.html> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[email protected]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-books%40mail.maclaunch.com/> --------------------------------------------------------------- iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com ---------------------------------------------------------------
