Those of you still with old boxy CRT TVs and Computers

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

So i work for a technology recycling company, but i dont post here because im told to, I am passionate about this sort of stuff. I wont even say the company I work for, so you know. Okay so i burn petrol, but this makes me feel less guilty.

Those of you still with CRT TVs will no doubt know that they wont work from the end of this year, and for most people they will take it as an excuse to upgrade to a flash new LCD or Plasma. Maybe even a 3D TV.

But what do you do with your old one?

You cant sell them on trademe these days for any price, so if you cant get any money for it how do you get rid of it? Unfortunately you have missed the boat and will now have to pay some sort of fee to dispose of it. Landfills are beginning to voluntarily ban them, before it becomes law anyway. But in the meantime you can still dump them in some landfills, and there is nothing stopping you throwing it down a bank. the former is cheap if you have a lot of them at home, and the latter is cheaper still. But I post to ask you to PLEASE RECYCLE it

There are many places that can recycle them right throughout the country that will take them for a charge. To my knowledge noone takes them for free still.

So why Recycle them? Why not dump them?

CRT TVs can contain around 6kgs worth of pure lead in them, tied up in the glass. Add to this phosphorous, nickel, and any other heavy metal you can think of, and you name it its in there. All of these leach out into the ground contaminating our waterways and all that other greeny jargon, but its actually not a big myth. Being in the business, i know how it works. You can google how we recycle them, everyone does it the same way so i wont get into that.

But why do you have to pay so much to get rid of it?

The answer is simple. There is next to no recoverable value in them. Those of you that have broken them open know there is a tiny amount of copper inside them, and that is all thats in it that is is raw cash. the glass, green-boards and plastics must all be exported and processed which both have its costs that arent covered in what the recycling company gets back from selling it. This is because NZ is too small to have its own facilities.

Most of you, along with most of NZ, will be very happy to spend an extra few hundred dollars getting a bigger screen size or better brand. Yet when faced with the cost of recycling say its too expencive. Our reckless consumerism is causing the problem, the least you can do is your bit to pick up the pieces. Most will charge less than $30 to recycle it, with our rates starting at half that. Is it really so much to pay?

Is it just the TVs that are the problem?

No, all eWaste is a problem not only in NZ, but worldwide. consumerism is 100% to blame, and its not going to stop. Everything from the latest iPhone 4S to your cars ECU contains heavy metals, and if not disposed of properly will become an issue. Back in the 60s etc when equipment like radios and TVs were built to last a lifetime, it wasnt so much of an issue as the tradeoff was better. Now we are lucky to get 6 months from a phone or 2 years from a computer before it is upgraded and the old one abandoned.

My company can dispose of all of this for free, but most companies charge because they can, though this is usually cheap. I dont care if you take it to one of our competitors, and niether does the boss. Just do the right thing.

Thanks for reading all! questions welcome etc

Edited January 11, 2012 by _Ethrty-Andy_

[5amchris 45]

The Tv's will still work just add a free view box, Also not everyone losses there free tv this year.

Go here to see when its your turn,

But yes very good info must find somewhere in Palmy that does this to send customers down there,

Edited January 11, 2012 by 5amchris

[Michael. 2313]

I just swapped my 15" CRT to a 17" CRT yesterday. This PC terminal is 10 years old too.

Hows that for sustainability!

Would like a new laptop this year, but new car parts > Computer.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

The Tv's will still work just add a free view box, Also not everyone losses there free tv this year.

Go here to see when its your turn,

But yes very good info must find somewhere in Palmy that does this to send customers down there,

sorry, i said from end of the year, meaning from the end of the year onwards. Sorry about that! And thanks for the link!

There are a few places in Palmy already, some of which are agents and some of which are self contained units. most big centers should have facilities already

[my_e36 43]

Council's inorganic collection still takes them.

[Driftit 2079]

Council's inorganic collection still takes them.

Yup not sure if Wellington gets this.

But in Auckland this is how it works.

Wait till inorganics time. Stand on side of road and wait for the first Toyota Estima/ Mazda Bongo to drive past.

Say want a big TV? If you do help me lift it out.

Gone forever.

[Sick Puppy 1]

Stand on side of road and wait for the first Toyota Estima/ Mazda Bongo to drive past.

Say want a big TV? If you do help me lift it out.

Gone forever.

lol

[polley 916]

Now we are lucky to get 6 months from a phone

[Docile 64]

in my area. there is no more free inorganic day. need to pay in advance 30 bucks to get it picked up and can only have up to a max of 1m3 of rubbish... which i dont even know how big and what could fit in it. a small trailer load?

Edited January 16, 2012 by Docile

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

in my area. there is no more free inorganic day. need to pay in advance 30 bucks to get it picked up and can only have up to a max of 1m3 of rubbish... which i dont even know how big and what could fit in it. a small trailer load?

you would be surprised how big 1m3 actually is. thats about 40 standard computer towers, or about 18 CRT computer monitors... theres no way a house hold would have anywhere near that much. if its easier for you to visualize, your wheelie bin is 240L (so a quarter-m3)

The reason why there is no free days anymore is because if you want to do it legally, it is economically impossible to not charge for some equipment, unless you are prepared to make a loss on it. this is because you are not allowed ship containers of TVs to Samoa and Indonesia etc to sell which is called dumping and banned under international laws and very enethical, and the processing of the glass properly alone is costly, let alone shipping it to a proper facility in australia or southeast asia

The people that ran the eDays in wellington got into a lot of trouble for doing that, and is why they dont happen anymore. this is probably the same in other cities.

[_ethrty-Andy_ 2132]

you would be surprised what people get rid of....

[antil33t 90]

I can prescribe copious amounts of FIRE to deal with old computers.

Edited January 27, 2012 by antil33t

[sp8s 1]

$6 for TV's and monitors rest of computer stuff is free in Timaru.

Thats at the council tip

[yng_750 247]

I can prescribe copious amounts of FIRE to deal with old computers.

capacitors explode with such entertaining colours and smells