what the hay

[logansryche]

Just received a call from someone representing the EPA and wanted to know what I do with the electronics that are given to me and was surprised that I pay per pound.. now, I don't know of anyone in Syracuse that operates as a representative of the EPA. Said she'd send me some registration forms to register as a recycling center and kept asking me what I do with CRT tubes. Also said once registered I'd have to send annual reports to make sure I'm not doing anything that impacts the enviroment. Anyone receive a similar call? I'm not worried but this one has me a bit on edge as I've never heard of anything like this. Should I be worried or is this normal.



-Matt

[mthomasdev]

Just received a call from someone representing the EPA and wanted to know what I do with the electronics that are given to me and was surprised that I pay per pound.. now, I don't know of anyone in Syracuse that operates as a representative of the EPA. Said she'd send me some registration forms to register as a recycling center and kept asking me what I do with CRT tubes. Also said once registered I'd have to send annual reports to make sure I'm not doing anything that impacts the enviroment. Anyone receive a similar call? I'm not worried but this one has me a bit on edge as I've never heard of anything like this. Should I be worried or is this normal.

-Matt

State or federal EPA? New York state does have a registration system. Not aware of a federal one yet.

[logansryche]

must be state, not sure as she didn't say. I'm guessing this is more of NY cracking down on potential organizations that take in e-waste(which is a good thing I think). This coupled with the ewaste bill NY just passed for January, it all makes sense. This person's number comes up as DEC. I feel more comfortable now knowing that this is a legitamite thing and not someone trying to hussle me for spam.

[travistemple202020]

that would be crazy I get crt's being an issue I get people asking me all the time but here its not regulated yet as much you cant throw them in normal trash with out charge but can do pick up loads at our trash recovery for $22 so until then I will still take them and charge this time of year cause the influx

[logansryche]

yep - Ny's really trying to go green it feels, first the January bill that fines anyone that throws out electronics and now electronic recycling regulation. It all makes sense - I just feel sorry for the resident who doesn't know this information and gets hit with those fines. I don't mind the regulation if it helps business' rather then destroy them.

[mthomasdev]

DEC would mostly be NYS. There are forms to fill out to register as either a collection site or dismantler.

[logansryche]

lady said they have an unusually high ammount of people that register and end up with loads of crt tubes stockpiled without a way to get rid of em. There's no way to get rid of the gas in the tubes without causing an epa nightmare is there.

[mthomasdev]

lady said they have an unusually high ammount of people that register and end up with loads of crt tubes stockpiled without a way to get rid of em. There's no way to get rid of the gas in the tubes without causing an epa nightmare is there.

Aren't the tubes in a vacum? What gas is she refering to?

[logansryche]

Not sure but those screens without the emitter on the end can go as glass can't it? or do they have to be treated a specific way. I always thought once I got the emitter out the rest of the screen could go as glass.

[MattInTheHat]

it's leaded glass

[logansryche]

I guess ill have to call around then to see if anyone will take leaded glass.

[logansryche]

yikes! I was just sent over the registration form and registration fee as a facility is $250, so anyone in NY that plans to process ewaste must pay this registration fee or be subject to the NY Electronic Equipment Recycle and Reuse Act. E-waste Recycling - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation This wouldn't be so much a problem for me right now if I were processing whole electronics like I wanted to. Yeesh, can't pay the reg fee, can't pay to advertise on the forum, can't do anything -.- sorry this thread turned into a rant - I might as well go back to work for Wal-Mart.

[NobleMetalWorks]

I believe each state has a state EPA. For California I have to comply with GED EPA, State EPA, a body at state level that deals with recycling, county, city and the worst is San Francisco Bay Area Air Quality.

They should be concerned about shipping CRTs out of country, it's a huge problem for African and Asian countries. Businesses ship them overseas as remarkatable, but they are recycled illegally for they component parts and any metals etc.

When you see "gold dust" for sale in West African nations, it is almost always from gold recovered from e-waste. I believe people who process those types of materials have a life expectancy of like 5 years or so because of the exposure to poisonous gases that are produced during the process.

If anyone is interested, I will post videos later. I believe I have posted on this in the past, but probably over a year ago...

Scott

[spinroch]

We are registered with the DEC in New York as a collection center and a recycling center.
We have to file annual reports as to how much we recycled and where we sent it.
The bigger you get, the more complicated and expensive it gets.
Gas in a CRT? There is no gas. It's a vacuum.
There is a substantial amount of lead in a CRT.
Don't deal with them unless you have a good way to properly dispose of them.
(And PLEASE don't break them!)

[logansryche]

I believe each state has a state EPA. For California I have to comply with GED EPA, State EPA, a body at state level that deals with recycling, county, city and the worst is San Francisco Bay Area Air Quality.

They should be concerned about shipping CRTs out of country, it's a huge problem for African and Asian countries. Businesses ship them overseas as remarkatable, but they are recycled illegally for they component parts and any metals etc.

When you see "gold dust" for sale in West African nations, it is almost always from gold recovered from e-waste. I believe people who process those types of materials have a life expectancy of like 5 years or so because of the exposure to poisonous gases that are produced during the process.

If anyone is interested, I will post videos later. I believe I have posted on this in the past, but probably over a year ago...

Scott

This was one of the main reasons why I got into ewaste recycling, to keep stuff like that from going overseas. I know i'm but one person, but I'll still try. There has to be a way these CRT tubes can be recycled properly where the lead has no enviromental effects. I wouldn't mind paying the registration fee because I know it's a requirement if I had enough intake to cover it. Lady sent over more info and the annual sheet has a spot for how many crts have been processed. I can see why facilites run into issues with the tubes. No one wants em and no one really knows a good way to get the lead out so the rest can be processed glass.

[AuburnEwaste]

If you think 250.00 is a tough registration fee, you should be thankful you don't live in Michigan, where the fee is 2000.00 every year.

[logansryche]

Yeah... I was looking at the NY fee schedule and i'm thankful i'm not a mfgr or the fee woulda been 10k

[Scrappah]

yep - Ny's really trying to go green it feels, first the January bill that fines anyone that throws out electronics and now electronic recycling regulation. It all makes sense - I just feel sorry for the resident who doesn't know this information and gets hit with those fines. I don't mind the regulation if it helps business' rather then destroy them.

Dead man walking .....

Sorry bro .... i hate to be a Debbie Downer but when the EPA comes - a - callin' it's bad news. You might want to get the advise of a lawyer before you file any paperwork or disclose any information to them.

[bcrepurposing]

There are several crt proceesing facility in the US ( 3 last I checked). They do have acceptable ways to seperate the lead from glass. The biggest issue is normally cost involved.

For many of us to utilize these facilities we would need to risk bulk storage of it as most require a minimum amount 1-3 gaylords ( 650 - 750 average weight limit). The company i looked into wants you to use thier own skids / gaylords - $50 each to have delivered. Now add in around $450 in pick up at your door. If you cant load the gaylord and require them to do it another $150 a pallet / gaylord.

So you are now looking at warehouse space used, pickup / delivery and disposal costs totaling around 650. So essentially you are spending $0.80-$1.00 a pound to ship out these tubes to be recycled.

An average 14-17" monitor tube can wieght in at 20-35 lbs each and a 19" tv tube can be 25-40 lbs each. There are no where near enough materials in the monitors and tvs to cover even 1/4 the costs. The return averages $3-5 each. (Some better, some worse.)

So those of us actually recycling electronics and now stuck with a very high out of pocket disposal fee on them unless we choose to be unresponsible and land fill the glass. This in my expeiriance still runs $0.20-$0.35 a pound. still amounting to alot more than we make on them.

This normally results in disposal fees and handling fees.

All around it comes down to finances. We can not ecconomical support our current methods of disposal and now with increasing regulation its only gonna get worse.

I pride myself on being evrionmentally friendly but costs have become so outrageous on disposal now that I personally have quit accepting them simply because I cant charge enough to cover costs and remain ecconomically feasible. I no longer can break even on them. Increasing overhead and regulation in every state is making it more difficult to do what we do and with prices decreasing unless a better system for disposal is found alot of that type of waste is gonna continue to pile up and we cant touch it.

[bcrepurposing]

I agree with post above.

EPA is bad news. once your on thier radar it is gonna be a few years before you get filed under check later. They are going to be up your butt for a few years so dot your I's and cross your T's. Legal advice may be helpful at this point.

If you are bringing on thier attention I would also advise looking at what you are doing to bring EPA to your door so to speak. The fines they can level can amount into hundreds of thousands not including the jail time. They can also flat out order you to cease and desist opperations. Basically shutting you completely down. Do what you do right and be careful.