Towards greener disposal of waste cathode ray tubes via ultrasonically enhanced lead leaching

Many urban areas face significant problems with the disposal of waste cathode ray tubes from old televisions and obsolete computer monitors. Disposal to landfills is problematic due to the high potential for leaching of lead and other toxins by groundwater. Regulators in the European Union and the US are expected to implement strict controls on such wastes. These regulations will likely call for the removal of lead prior to disposal to landfills or recycling. Findings are reported from a study enacted to evaluate the use of power ultrasound to promote lead removal from the heavily leaded CRT glass through an accelerated leaching program. Strategies for monitoring the rate of lead release from CRT glass are described.