Know your E-Waste
Akshay Jain
E-Waste Management | Investor | Green Entrepreneur | Professional Consultant for e-waste and battery waste recycling
Hazardous Chemicals in Televisions -
Televisions contain lead, mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants. These substances are included in the products for important performance characteristics, but can cause problems if the products are not properly managed at end of life.
? Lead is the primary substance of concern because of all the analog TVs that will be replaced due to digital TV. It’s found primarily in cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs, which typically contain anywhere from two to 4 kgs of lead, which is mostly found in the tube. Lead is very toxic to humans, especially children. A child exposed to lead may develop anemia, severe stomach ache, muscle weakness, and brain damage. Low levels of lead can also affect a child’s mental and physical growth.
? Mercury is not exclusive to thermometers as it‘s also found in flat panels TVs. This is because some of the lighting used contains mercury, which is toxic in very low doses, and causes brain and kidney damage. Lighting in flat panels has improved in recent years with the development of cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFLs) and light-emitting diode (LED), which don‘t use mercury.
? Cadmium is found in the phosphor coating that lines the inside of many CRT screens. It‘s a potentially serious substance to long-term health. The EPA says that cadmium can cause kidney, liver, bone and blood damage if exposed to high levels over a long period of time. Cadmium can penetrate our food source by moving through soil layers and being absorbed by leafy vegetables, root crops, cereals and grains.
? Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are known to cause damage to hormone and reproductive systems. They’re found in plastics, like protective cases, circuit boards, and cables with a purpose of providing fire protection. BFRs have been discovered in marine mammals, fish and bird eggs as well as human milk, serum and adipose tissue.
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