County Electronics Recycling Facility Stuck in Catch-22

When municipalities around the United States host electronics recycling days, more often than not, they’re caught in a Catch-22.

Not only has flat-screen technology made their large, bulky predecessors obsolete in use but also in disposal.

Why?

Because many of these electronics contain cathode ray tubes, or CRTs, tubes or glass tubes that contain lead, according to a recent New York Times report.

The Essex County Utilities Authority hosts two computer and electronics recycling days a year at the Essex County Fleet Maintenance Facility in Cedar Grove, but where do these potentially hazardous materials go?

Essex County has been working with Newark-based Advanced Recovery Inc. to pick up and properly dispose of these old electronics.

“When we host these events, the materials are sorted, packed up and brought to their Newark facility where the material is further segregated,” said Advanced Recovery Inc. COO Mark Rea Jr.

The computers and monitors are then brought to another facility in Port Jervis, N.Y. to be taken apart. The front part of the screen is what Rea calls “clean glass,” which means it doesn't contain any hazardous materials.

The rear part has funnel glass, which contains lead, he said.

“The whole thing is referred to as the tube but the key component is to separate the clean glass from the lead,” he said.

The funnel glass then has to be smelted to remove the lead. The only problem, however, is there is only one plant in the country capable of this process.

“It's very costly to do this in the United States,” said Rea of the smelting. “There's only one source in the country and that's in Missouri, otherwise it has to go to a company called Videocon in India.”

For years Advanced Recovery Inc. looked into investing in glass smelting but since flat screen televisions use greener technology, the investment ultimately would not pay off for the company.

“You just don't know how much is out there,” said Rea. “We can't invest $5 to $7 million in equipment which will dwindle 10 years down the road.”

In 2004, recyclers were paid more than $200 a ton to provide glass from these monitors for use in new cathode ray tubes. In a sign of the times, these same companies now have to pay more than $200 a ton to get anyone to take the glass off their hands.

So, while municipalities are helping resident’s dispose of unwanted items, they’re also creating what industry experts are calling a “glass tsunami” as stockpiles of the useless material accumulate across the country.

“Those recyclers that were charging people but not paying for the glass to be processed were taking money and sitting on the glass,” said Rea.

A lot of these hazardous materials were dumped into landfills until the practice was outlawed in 2012.

“The equipment should never go into the trash because it has materials that can pose hazards to human health that can get into the water,” said Rea.

Advanced Recovery Inc. not only works with Essex County for recycling days but also offers to pick up the material from a residence and recycle it for a $50 fee. Residents are also welcome to drop off the material at the Newark facility.

“Our stuff here is turned around quickly and we roll it out right away,” said Rea. “The equipment that comes here is not here long, it doesn't pay to sit.”

The next spring Computer & Electronics Recycling Day will be held on Saturday May 18, 2013.

Click here to schedule a pickup with Advanced Recovery Inc.