2008 Woodie Awards
SectionsRecycling computer monitors prevents pollution
Sarah Khan
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has predicted that 45 million or more computers will become obsolete each year. Chances are, when people can't use something anymore, they will just throw it in the trash.
That is the worst thing that could possibly be done with the old computers according to Ken Reiss, owner of the computer recycling center in Springfield. The reason lies in the most important part of the computer monitor, the Cathode Ray Tube, also found in televisions.
"The average monitor contains about five pounds of lead, and that is found in the Cathode Ray Tube," Reiss said. "We're here to make sure that lead is properly disposed of, and not in a landfill that will pollute everybody's ground water."
In addition to lead, which is extremely harmful on its own, Reiss named other toxins found in a computer monitor such as cadmium and hexavalent chromium.
The crew at the computer recycling center do most of the recycling work on their own site. Reiss said
The computer recylcling center disassembles at least 20 computer monitors an hour and resells the recyclable materials like plastic, copper and iron.
"We send the cathode ray tubes to a company in St. Louis that grinds them up and extracts the lead out," Reiss said.
This process allows the center to make a little bit of money off of all this work as well.
"We are efficient enough to process and resell enough materials that we don't lose money by paying to send off the cathode ray tubes," Reiss said.
They are brought about 2,000 computers a month from all over Missouri and process more computers than anywhere else in the state.
"Recycling a computer monitor is just like recycling an aluminum can, all the parts can be reused," Reiss said.
So far 23 states have initiated legislation to deal with the problem of computer waste. The only current law in Missouri dealing with the issue said that only businesses are not allowed to dispose of computers in landfills. Reiss hopes to see more strict legislation in place for everyone.
The computer recycling center is open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on what to do with your old monitors, visit www.computerrecyclingcenter.org.
That is the worst thing that could possibly be done with the old computers according to Ken Reiss, owner of the computer recycling center in Springfield. The reason lies in the most important part of the computer monitor, the Cathode Ray Tube, also found in televisions.
"The average monitor contains about five pounds of lead, and that is found in the Cathode Ray Tube," Reiss said. "We're here to make sure that lead is properly disposed of, and not in a landfill that will pollute everybody's ground water."
In addition to lead, which is extremely harmful on its own, Reiss named other toxins found in a computer monitor such as cadmium and hexavalent chromium.
The crew at the computer recycling center do most of the recycling work on their own site. Reiss said
The computer recylcling center disassembles at least 20 computer monitors an hour and resells the recyclable materials like plastic, copper and iron.
"We send the cathode ray tubes to a company in St. Louis that grinds them up and extracts the lead out," Reiss said.
This process allows the center to make a little bit of money off of all this work as well.
"We are efficient enough to process and resell enough materials that we don't lose money by paying to send off the cathode ray tubes," Reiss said.
They are brought about 2,000 computers a month from all over Missouri and process more computers than anywhere else in the state.
"Recycling a computer monitor is just like recycling an aluminum can, all the parts can be reused," Reiss said.
So far 23 states have initiated legislation to deal with the problem of computer waste. The only current law in Missouri dealing with the issue said that only businesses are not allowed to dispose of computers in landfills. Reiss hopes to see more strict legislation in place for everyone.
The computer recycling center is open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on what to do with your old monitors, visit www.computerrecyclingcenter.org.
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