Problem-Solving with vITAD: Bridge the Digital Divide with Electronics Donations Programs
A U.K.-based glass recycling company battling the CRT crisis is bringing its smelting technology to the U.S. for the first time.
With an air pollution permit in place, U.K.-based CRT glass recycling firm, Nulife Glass, says it plans to build and operate a leaded glass smelting furnace at a facility in Dunkirk, New York.
Lead Nulife Glass representative, Simon Greer, says “the only restriction on Nulife’s processing capacity will be the speed at which it can open new sites and that is only restricted by the rate at which suppliers can deliv
er glass.”
Each year, between 200,000 and 400,000 tons of glass enters the U.S. e-waste stream, while the actual maximum processing capacity, including international options, is closer to the 200,000 tons range.
Electronics recyclers are in a dilemma of whether or not to process the massive piles of CRT glass, which would cost between $85 and $360 million to dispose of because the old equipment bares little to no return value. Some states, Colorado for example, has pushed the burden of disposing CRT glass on its citizens.
Certified ITAD vendors realize the detrimental affects of CRT material to the environment and have continued to find ways to responsibly recycle it.
IT asset management and electronics recycling is not a “one size fits all” industry. Everything is specialized and yet there is still immense room for innovative opportunities.
Discovering an environmentally sound technique for recycling CRT glass is especially important in the next couple years when more than two billion pounds of televisions and monitors with these displays are expected to make their way to the recycling stream. The longer CRT glass is warehoused, the further their value will decrease due to the rapid innovation of new display technology.
HOBI International President, Craig Boswell, participated in a panel discussion at the most recent ISRI Convention in early April. The subject ‘How To Make Money In Electronics Recycling,’ brought up some interesting points on the processing of cathode ray tube (CRT) devices by electronics recyclers.
HOBI will be exhibiting at E-Scrap 2014 in September where the CRT debate will continue.
To help clarify the current situation and anticipate where it’s headed, a conference session will offer an overview of existing North American processors and those hoping to get into the notoriously narrow-margin market. Distinguishing “established” and “emerging” operations, as well as pointing out who’s amassing stock versus who’s actually processing it, the presentation will provide attendees with a complete picture of the CRT landscape.
Follow HOBI_Inc on twitter for trade show information and updates on the CRT recycling crisis.
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