Recycling of scrap cathode ray tubes

It is estimated that approximately 50% of the weight of a computer monitor is composed of cathode ray tube (CRT) glass. Thus, the successful recycling of scrap CRT glass can greatly relieve the disposal problem created by scrap monitors. CRT glass may be considered a hazardous waste due to its high lead concentration. A CRT can be divided into panel (front) glass and funnel (back) glass. Several coatings have been applied to the surface of the CRT panel and funnel glass. These coatings may present an adverse effectto the environment by obstructing the recycling and reuse of the CRT glass. To recycle CRT glass, a series of tests has been conducted to remove the coatings from scrap CRT glass. In this study, the CRT panel and funnel glass obtained from scrap computer monitors was cleaned by wet-scrubbing and ultrasonic cleaning methods. This cleaned CRT glass is intended to be recycled and reused by CRT manufacturers. This study shows that the wet-scrubbing method has a better coating removal performance and no associated pollution problem (i.e., no additional chemical additives). Thus, the wet-scrubbing method is recommended for use as a CRT coating removal method. The results of these tests are presented in this paper.