CRT Rule Enters Second Year

Jan. 29, 2008, marked the one-year anniversary of the United State’s Cathode Ray Tube Rule, which is intended to encourage recycling and reuse of CRTs and CRT glass by making it easier to recycle CRTs than if they had to be handled as hazardous waste.

The rule requires that recyclers notify EPA headquarters in Washington when they plan to export used and broken CRTs. EPA will then notify the receiving country of the shipment. However, if the CRTs are intact and destined for reuse, the recycler must send a one-time notification to EPA before exportation. In this case, there is no requirement to notify the receiving country. According to the rule, the exporter must keep copies of its normal business records of these exports for three years.

Persons and businesses that fail to meet one or more of the conditions of the CRT Rule may be subject to enforcement action under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

The CRT Rule also covers recycling in the United States. In many cases, the recycler will disassemble CRTs for their glass, lead or plastic components. The rule exempts CRTs from all hazardous waste requirements if the recycler complies with certain conditions for packaging, labeling and storage.       

The rule does not affect households or non-residential generators of less than 100 kilograms (about 220 pounds) of hazardous waste in a calendar month.

According to the EPA, the proper recycling of CRTs preserves landfill space, saves energy and conserves resources, allows the recovered glass to be reused in other ways and reduces the amount of leaded glass in landfills. The lower energy consumption achieved through CRT recycling also lowers the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere.

Televisions and computer monitors represent the bulk of the universe of CRTs. While the exact number of CRTs is unknown, millions of CRTs are entering the waste stream each year. In 2005, approximately 80 percent to 85 percent of discarded CRTs ended up in landfills, according to the EPA.

The CRT Rule can be found in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 40 CFR Part 261 and can be viewed at www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-WASTE/2006/July/Day-28/f6490.htm.