Interesting Article on CRTs

This is a recent article from the Casper (Wyoming) Star-Tribune:
Casper not recycling TVs, computer monitors

Casper not recycling TVs, computer monitors



The City of Casper is no longer recycling televisions and computer monitors, according to a Thursday press release.

“Recycling televisions and monitors has become cost prohibitive, so they are now going to the landfill,” said Cynthia Langston, Solid Waste Division manager.

Other electronics will still be accepted at the E-Waste area. Televisions and monitors will still be accepted for free disposal at the baler building.

The city will also pick up televisions and monitors weighing fewer than 50 pounds. A screen 13 inches or fewer may be placed in the trash container if it doesn’t over fill the receptacle.

For more information on the city of Casper’s recycling program, visit City of Casper.

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I don't really know what to think. It's interesting in the least.

I did a graduate research paper 15+ years ago on landfills in South Dakota. The USEPA made a big push in the late 80s and early 1990s in regulations to make modern landfills "entombments" of municipal waste. Gone were the days of "leachate" coming out of the bottom or sides of them to pollute ground or surface water. In my small populated state by the time I wrote the paper, almost all small town "dumps" had been eliminated and only about a dozen regional landfills remained (a couple of areas had other options such as baling and ship trash out of state [to a ND landfill] or super pulling everything out except mostly for the organics to have a much smaller landfill). Our metro landfill (which services 5 counties) not only is synthetically lined but it also sits on over 200 feet of clay sub-soil. That's why I've never understood all the hoopla or whatever about the lead and other heavy metals in CRTs or the magetrons of micros. This stuff isn't going to leave a modern, regulated landfill...

I think the biggest issue with larger CRTs is that they probably can't get the "crush" weight density they want for each square yard of trash, thus filling up the landfill quicker (tires and white goods are obviously worse). Most municipal landfills want to compact their waste down to 600 or more pounds per sq. yard!!! My the time your trash bags are covered with dirt in your landfill, they look nothing like what you placed in the trash can...

It strikes me odd that a city does it. I didn't see this one coming.

I can't speak for the Casper landfill, but I've talked with members of the Wyoming DEQ. There are definitely landfill problems in the state.

My problem with them is...everyone says.."What's the big deal?!" 20 years ago an now I get the joys of dealing with the mess every time i go fishing, walking, etc.

I ain't worried about the landfill. I'm worried about me, my dog, someones kids, someone else's pets, etc stepping on glass cause someone was a lazy ass an decided to chuck their tv in the woods, or on the curb, even though they know the trash people won't pick up anything outside a can.

Tubes left to sit end up broken. By tweekers, kids who think their funny, an dumbasses. People like me end up stepping on that **** or cleaning it up. So to those who say whats the big deal..Next time someone I know, or their pet steps on broken tube glass I'll send you the vet or ER bill.

My beef is an always has been with the people who just ignore it sitting on the street. Guess what..ignoring things doesn't make them vanish! Ask the Government about that. It doesn't work with anything else. No magic tube elf is going to magic it away.

Nobody says you have to break them down, or deal with them. I just ask you at lest pick the **** thing up an put it in a dumpster or something. Not left to become broken an a hazard to any poor soul who happens to be walking.

An yea.. I know weird. People still walk. I walk up to 5 to ten miles a day an that's not counting work. So yea..it bugs me, big time.

I need to put something on my soapbox, it's getting worn out from all the use of late. LOL

( This post was not directed at anyone, or anything. It was to just rant on people leaving tubes laying around to be damaged. Any feelings, egos or anything else hurt in the making of this post are on you, an not the Author. The Author will sell you some fish scales or metal tho to help thicken you up. ) - End disclaimer

Sirscrapalot - Some days you just want to be the potato smasher an not the potato.

Additional rant post..bonus!

My being bugged by this might also have to do with the fact that I do live on a sandbar. My sandbar is 120 miles give or take..an the lower half of that is all Wildlife Reservation. So I live in a area that is easily messed up when it comes to trash of all kinds being left out. I'm not in a city where seeing alley's full of trash is common. That is unacceptable here. We take pride in our environment. Whether for tourism or the wildlife of all kinds that flourishes here.

Just something to think about. I know the folks out in the sticks know how I feel or at lest I hope so. Heh.

Not cool walking along the beach an seeing dead sea life because some ******* was to lazy to use a trashcan. I've seen it with sea turtles, the birds here, some furry critters even.

I know one thing..if I let my sandbar become trashy, not only does the tourism suffer but so does all this beauitiful land an the wild life that lives here. I can live without tourists, but I'd be mighty pissed off if my wild horses vanished, my seals died, my dolphins died, my whales died, my sea turtles wiped out, birds killed off..I could go on.

So there ya go. I'm protective of my environment. Sue me.

Sirscrapalot - Not a tree hugger, but will give them a fist bump.