The research, carried out by ICER (Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling) and funded by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), examined potential end markets for waste cathode ray tube (CRT) glass, which contains large amounts of lead and other toxic oxides and has historically ended up in landfill sites. The research focused on end use applications and found that it is possible to make bricks and tiles using solely waste CRT glass and that it could also save energy if used as a flux in the manufacturing process for clay and brick tiles. Another feasible option is using the glass to replace sand in metal smelting. These applications could use a large amount of waste CRT glass but there are other possibilities, such as using CRT glass to make foam glass for insulation.

“There are about a million tonnes of glass from TVs and monitors sitting in homes and offices and most of this will be entering the waste stream within the next 10 to 15 years,” said Claire Snow, Director of ICER. “This is soon going to have to be recycled — both to avoid contaminating landfill sites and to meet the requirements of the new Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.”

Due for implementation this year, the WEEE Directive sets weight-based recovery and recycling targets which will require increased recycling of CRTs as they contribute significantly to the weight of a TV or PC monitor. CRTs are also classified as a hazardous waste, and other legislation, such as the Landfill Directive, will increase the cost of disposal to landfill in the future.

Recycling of post-consumer CRT glass in the UK is currently very limited and largely restricted to monitors disposed of by businesses. This is largely because of cost — sending waste to landfill sites is still the cheapest option. However, the WEEE Directive sets annual targets for recycling TVs and monitors and makes the producers of this equipment responsible for the recycling costs.

Closed loop recycling is now a real possibility, as the technical barriers to using post-consumer waste CRT glass to make new TV and monitors have been overcome. Because of this, nearly 10 per cent of the UK’s waste CRT glass could be used in the manufacture of new TV screens next year.

The research also identified the need for standards for best practice in collecting and recycling CRT glass. ICER is developing a code of practice for this, as part of the ICER Accreditation Scheme for WEEE Recyclers, to single out responsible operators.

Download the report "Materials recovery from waste cathode ray tubes (CRTs)" by clicking on the following link