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What
are the most Hazardous wastes?
CRT:
CRT
monitors and TVs contain an average of 4 pounds of lead each. Excessive lead
and other toxins pose a problem in landfills because they can leach into
groundwater or, in the case of a lined landfill, force expensive leachate
treatment. In combustors, the lead winds up in the ash residue, which is in
turn disposed of in landfills. Lead
exposure has been linked with learning disabilities, behavioral problems and
at very high levels, seizures, coma and even death.
In addition, the plastic material used to house electronic components
often contains brominated flame-retardants.
If improperly handled, these toxins could be released into the
environment.
Batteries:
Lead-Acid/Automotive
Batteries:
Lead batteries are this country's principal source of power for automobiles,
trucks, motorcycles, boats, forklifts, golf carts, lawn and garden tractors,
and wheelchairs. These
heavy, rectangular batteries contain sulfuric acid, which can burn skin on
contact
Alkaline
Batteries:
Alkaline batteries standard household batteries.
They are used in products from walkmans and clocks, to smoke
detectors and remote controls. Since 1994, most types contain no added
mercury or only contain trace amounts. These batteries are marked "no
added mercury" or may be marked with a green tree logo.
Button
Batteries:
These batteries are named for being small round and
silver-colored. They are most
commonly found in watches and hearing aids. Many button batteries contain
mercury or silver oxide, both metals that are toxic to humans when inhaled
or ingested.
Nickel-Cadmium
Rechargeable Batteries :
These batteries are marked “Rechargeable” and are found in many products
including: cell phones, cordless phones, laptops, power tools, camcorders
and remote controlled toys. NiCads
contain cadmium, a metal that is toxic to humans when inhaled or ingested.
Lithium
Batteries:
These
batteries are mainly used in computers, camcorders, laptops and
cameras. Lithium
ignites when in contact with water and has been notorious for causing
serious fires.
Printers:
Most
printer cartridges are easily recycled, refilled or re-built. But printer
vendors sell the printer cheap, and make their real money selling supplies.
They don't want you be environmental.
The
"right" environmental solution is to sell new cartridges with a
postage paid mailer for returning the old one. Some forward-thinking
companies, such as Hewlett-Packard, have been known to do this, especially
for laser printers. Sometimes you can find free envelopes for donating
cartridges to a refiller, but don't bother with refill kits. They may save
money, but they are messy, and you use as much plastic as a new cartridge.
Old
refrigerators, Heat Pumps & Air Conditioners
Most
older refrigeration equipment contains freon, a chemical know as a
Chlorinated Fluorocarbon or "CFC" for short. Each molecule of a
CFC can destroy over 100,000 molecules of the earth's protective ozone
coating, leading to increased risk of sunburn, cataracts and skin cancer for
the entire population of the planet (human AND animal).
Motor
Oil
Used
motor oil contains heavy metals and other toxic substances, and is
considered hazardous waste. Each year do-it-yourself oil changers improperly
dump more oil than the tanker Exxon Valdez spilled into Alaska's
Prince William Sound. One quart of oil can kill fish in thousands of gallons
of water. Motor oil containers should mention the danger of used oil to
humans and the environment.
Paper
Most
types of paper can be recycled. Newspapers have been recycled profitably for
decades, and recycling of other paper is growing. Virgin paper pulp prices
have soared in recent years prompting construction of more plants capable of
using waste paper. They key to recycling is collecting large quantities of
clean, well-sorted, uncontaminated and dry paper.
Glass,
Steel, Aluminum Cans and Foil
Glass,
steel (or "tin") and aluminum are easy to recognize and recycle.
For clarity, a recycling symbol should be present, but most people have
little trouble sorting these materials. Glass bottles must not be mixed with
other types of glass such as windows, light bulbs, mirrors, glass tableware,
Pyrex or auto glass. Ceramics contaminate glass and are difficult to sort
out. Clear glass is the most valuable. Mixed color glass is near worthless,
and broken glass is hard to sort.
Plastic
With
a little bit of care much plastic can be recycled, and collection of
plastics for recycling is increasing rapidly. Plastic recycling faces one
huge problem: plastic types must not be mixed for recycling, yet it is
impossible to tell one type from another by sight or touch. Even a small
amount of the wrong type of plastic can ruin the melt.
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