are lcd monitors hazardous manufacturer

-“These chemicals are semi-liquid and can get into the environment at any time during manufacturing and recycling, and they are vaporized during burning,” said University of Saskatchewan environmental toxicologist and lead author John Giesy in a press release. “Now we also know that these chemicals are being released by products just by using them.”

-The researchers found the specific monomers isolated from the smartphones were potentially hazardous to animals and the environment. In lab testing, the chemicals were found to have properties known to inhibit animals’ ability to digest nutrients and to disrupt the proper functioning of the gallbladder and thyroid–similar to dioxins and flame retardants which are known to cause toxic effects in humans and wildlife.

-To be clear, the researchers didn’t observe any adverse health effects from the accumulation of liquid crystals in the human body; they only found that these crystals do in fact leak from devices, and that they have the potential to be toxic. “We don’t know yet whether this a problem, but we do know that people are being exposed, and these chemicals have the potential to cause adverse effects,” said Giesy.

-If you crack LCD screens and find the liquid crystal leakage, don’t panic. Just remember that the liquid crystal materials might not be more toxic than your detergents for stove or washroom. Just wash your hands with soup throughout. Never try to play with it or even worse to taste it. The liquid of the cracked computer screen will not evaporate, no emissions worries.

-Any electronics has environment impact and can’t be used landfills. If you want to get rid of old LCD monitors or LCD TVs, give them to electronic collection stations. Let’s the professionals to handle them. They will extract some precious metals/parts and make them into something useful or at least not hazard. FYI, liquid crystal materials are retrievable.

So, your old computer monitor has finally taken permanent turn for the worst and is now ready for disposal. What to do? Well, there may be a number of beneficial ways to dispose of an old computer monitor: recycling, donating and repurposing spare parts are options, but there are also a number of choices to avoid. In fact, simply tossing your old monitor could be hazardous, and in some cases, illegal.

That’s because, in order to work properly, many computer monitors contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment if released. For instance, LCD monitors produce visible light by sending electrical impulses to the mercury contained within them. Manufacturers continue to use the dangerous liquid since few other sources possess the qualities necessary to produce this desired effect.

Yet another factor regarding disposal is the increasing speed with which computer monitors and electronic devices containing hazardous wastes are being discarded. In 2005, the average lifespan for a computer monitor had shortened to about two years, down from the five years reported in 1992. Shorter lifespans keep consumers on the lookout for new monitors.

As consumers continue to seek out newer styles or the latest technological upgrade, turnover rates have increased. This, in turn, means an increased number of computer monitors destined for disposal on an almost yearly basis.

This also means it is crucial for consumers to have a working knowledge of both the environmental risks, and in some states, the legal risks of improperly disposing old computer monitors. Luckily, a number of e-recycling services are well versed in the best methods of disposal available today and can assist with recycling monitors safely.

Computer monitors, like so many electronic devices can sometimes contain a number of dangerous chemicals. Disposal can cause a release of toxins into the air, ground water or soil. When hazardous electronics are disposed near lakes and streams, the water often becomes contaminated.

Thus, it is important to know which monitors are hazardous and why. The standards for this assessment are usually specified in country-specific regulations imposed by governmental bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency here in the U.S.

According to the EPA, an electronic device is considered hazardous under a number of complex circumstances. Hazardous waste belongs to a special EPA category unto itself and has special rules attached to disposal. The regulations for disposal of hazardous wastes may vary from state to state.

Electronic devices can be deemed hazardous for a number of reasons — mainly their contents. Computer monitors, in particular, are susceptible to a hazardous waste categorization. Typically, the older a monitor, the more likely it contains hazardous components.

For instance, both old and new monitor models tend to contain mercury, as mentioned. Other chemical contaminants, like cadmium, lithium and harmful flame retardants, can also be found in monitors. In addition, some of the outer shells of monitors can contain phosphorous coatings or be made of PVC plastics.

Knowing the hazardous material contained within computer monitors makes it easy to see that they do not belong in landfills. In most cases, when the monitors remain intact, there is a reduced risk of leakage. However, the possibility of a monitor remaining intact over time in a landfill is extremely slim.

Every one of the chemicals contained in monitors could seep into soil. Contaminated soil eventually works its way into groundwater reservoirs, thereby poisoning water supplies and weakening local ecosystems. Clearly, the effects of landfilling monitors are extremely hazardous and detrimental.

A number of states have taken action to prevent environmental exposure to hazardous chemical found in computer monitors and other electronic devices. Today, 20 states have active e-waste landfill bans in place.

For instance, Illinois, a state that enacted its landfill ban in 2012, bans most electronic devices, including computer monitors from both landfills and incinerators. An incinerator ban on electronics is significant, because electronics contain a number of chemicals that are not harmful until heated. Heating can release toxic gases into the atmosphere. Few other states ban both these types of disposals.

Some states have laws in place beyond the basic landfill ban. In Maryland and Connecticut, laws are in place that require manufacturers to label those electronic devices that contain mercury. Such labeling laws aim to identify electronics containing hazardous wastes, thus increasing the likelihood that these will be disposed properly.

Manufacturers are required to work with recycling centers and state or municipal programs to ensure that e-waste is properly recycled. In some instances, the responsibility also includes regulating the way a device is made. Such requirements urge manufacturers to consider available alternatives to the hazardous chemicals and structural materials traditionally found in computer monitors and other electronic devices.

Due to the environmental hazards and legal issues involved, consumers must keep informed about the most suitable and safe way to dispose of computer monitors. Here is where it is important to know the collection methods in your city or neighborhood and to make sure to keep informed about the requirements at your local recycling center.

Excellent resources for more information about proper disposal in your area can be found at your local chamber of commerce, city hall or community center. Because each community may vary in its response to the need for proper collection and disposal of computer monitors, it is important to inquire first, before disposal, to get the details you will need.

The best way to ensure that tossing your old computer monitor is neither hazardous nor illegal is to find a electronics recycling service capable of properly handling electronic devices. The recycler can help with collecting and recycling the device in a way that both complies with state and federal guidelines and protects the environment.

Despite the magical appearance of modern screens, these marvels use very real resources. Monitors have long been the most resource-heavy parts of a modern computer, due in no small part to their size. Because of their size, a monitor manufacturers’ usage of certain compounds creates greater environmental concerns than the computer to which the monitor is attached.

Cathode Ray Tube Basics The first monitors were built off of much of the same technology as televisions. Known as Cathode Ray Tube, or CRT, monitors, these behemoths use a single, large vacuum tube with an electron gun at one end which fires light through a mask. The mask is charged in such a way to block certain wavelengths at specified locations, creating images. These monitors have been largely replaced by Liquid Crystal Displays, or LCDs.

Liquid Crystal Displays Liquid crystal displays are significantly thinner, lighter and higher image quality than CRT monitors. LCDs use a layer of specially made crystals mounted to an electrical grid. Small charges at different coordinates of the grid can change the color of each reactive crystal. A small fluorescent or LED bulb is then mounted along the long edge of the monitor to light it up.

Chemicals of CRT The biggest chemical concern in a CRT comes from the tube itself. The glass vacuum tube is lined with a significant amount of lead – as much as 4 pounds by some estimates. Cadmium is another highly toxic mineral found in CRT monitors which threatens workers who dispose of these electronics. To a lesser degree, CRTs also contain arsenic.

Chemicals of an LCD LCDs made great strides towards eliminating the chemicals used by its predecessor, the CRT. However, LCDs still contains small amounts of lead as well as mercury in fluorescently-lit models. In addition to the chemicals actually contained within the LCD, the manufacturing process of the liquid crystals uses nitrogen trifluoride, a chemical known to have an impact 17,000 times greater than carbon dioxide on global warming.

The components in computers and monitors contain many different toxic materials. This may not affect the average user working on one PC, but it does cause problems when equipment is recycled or discarded in bulk. If you are considering upgrading your office computers, you may not give much thought to how you"ll dispose of your old equipment, but when the time comes, you should know what is in the box and behind the screen.

Toxic Components in Computers The central processing unit in a computer contains toxic substances, and lead is found in circuit boards. Metal plates and housings may contain chromium, which is used to harden and protect metal plates from corrosion. Motherboards and connectors often contain beryllium. Cadmium is commonly found in chip resistors, semi-conductors, infrared detectors, stabilizers, cables and wires. Circuit boards, switches and relays contain mercury as well chromium. Brominated flame retardants are used in many components, including circuit boards and plastic casings.

Toxic Components in Monitors Older cathode-ray tube monitors may contain up to eight pounds of lead. Newer LCD and flat-panel monitors typically don"t have this much lead, but they do contain some and copper, too. The lamp used to illuminate the screen is likely to contain mercury, and the coating inside the screen may be made from cadmium. Brominated flame retardants are commonly found in many monitor components.

E-Waste According to the Electronics TakeBack Coalition (ETBC), the U.S. disposed of 423,000 computers and 595,000 monitors in 2010. Just 40 percent of computers and 33 percent of monitors were recycled; the rest were trashed. E-Waste is a serious environmental concern. Toxic materials in computer components can harm the environment and, if they enter food chains, they can harm humans too.

Recycling Businesses don"t typically buy new computers or systems because current hardware isn"t suitable for a purpose. Instead, they upgrade to improve performance, and old equipment may still have some value. These computers can be refurbished or sent for recycling -- even a broken PC contains components that are valuable and can be reused. Most major manufacturers offer businesses some form of recycling service. Some also offer trade-in discounts or cash for old equipment that could help cover some costs of a new system.

Scientists have discovered that LCD screens leak chemicals into just about every environment where they are found, according to a new study, and these particles have the potential to be toxic over time.As described in a study published last week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers collected dust samples from seven buildings in China: a cafeteria, student dorm, classroom, hotel, home, lab, and an electronics repair shop. Nearly half of the 53 samples tested positive for liquid crystal particles—which are supposed to stay sealed in the screen after manufacturing—even in places where there were no LCD devices at the time of collection.AdvertisementThe international research team analyzed 362 chemicals used in LCD screens and found that nearly 100 have the potential to be toxic. These particles don’t break down quickly and have "high mobility" in the environment. When inhaled or ingested, according to the study, these particles can build up in the body over time with toxic effects, potentially causing digestive problems and other health issues.“These chemicals are semi-liquid and can get into the environment at any time during manufacturing and recycling, and they are vaporized during burning,” said University of Saskatchewan environmental toxicologist and lead author John Giesy in a press release. “Now we also know that these chemicals are being released by products just by using them.”According to the study, these chemicals are "simply filled" into the space between polarizers (light filters) during manufacturing and are not chemically bonded to any base material. This means that "they can be released during production; through wastewater; or during active use, disposal, or recycling."To be clear, the researchers didn"t observe any adverse health effects from the accumulation of liquid crystals in the human body; they only found that these crystals do in fact leak from devices, and that they have the potential to be toxic.

“We don’t know yet whether this a problem, but we do know that people are being exposed, and these chemicals have the potential to cause adverse effects,” said Giesy.AdvertisementLab testing showed that the hazardous substances found in phones were similar to flame retardants, which have proven to be toxic to living creatures, creating problems with animals’ digestive systems and hindering their ability to absorb nutrients. They also disrupted their gallbladders and thyroids.The team says the next step is to understand the effect of these chemicals on humans, animals, and the environment. “Since there are more and more of these devices being made, there’s a higher chance of them getting into the environment,” said Giesy.Right now, there are no standards for measuring them and no regulations limiting exposure to them. “We are at ground zero,” he said.Giesy’s previous work was the first to shed a spotlight on toxic perfluorinated and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFCs). PFCs used to be in all kinds of oil and water-resistant products such as raincoats and non-stick pans. His findings led to a global ban of PFCs.

Video display products that contain cathode ray tubes (CRTs) can give off x-rays. The CRT is a specialized vacuum tube that receives and displays images on an electronic screen. Most modern computers monitors and televisions (TVs) today use liquid crystal display (LCD), Light-emitting diodes (LED), or plasma.

In the early 1960s, some TVs with CRTs were found to emit excessive x-radiation, and a federal performance standard was created to protect the public from this hazard. Today, electronic technology for TVs and computer monitors with CRTs has changed so drastically that the level of risk of x-ray exposure is almost non-existent. Manufacturers of products that use CRTs must certify that their products comply with the federal performance standard for the life of the product.

TV receivers and computer monitors containing CRTs no longer pose a risk of emitting any x-radiation. Since the creation of the federal performance standard, the FDA has tested hundreds of TV receivers and computer monitors and rarely encountered any that were unsafe.

Manufacturers of electronic radiation emitting products sold in the United States are responsible for compliance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), Chapter V, Subchapter C - Electronic Product Radiation Control.

Manufacturers of televisions and video display products are responsible for compliance with all applicable requirements of Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (Subchapter J, Radiological Health) Parts 1000 through 1005:

In addition, TV receivers and monitors with CRTs must comply with radiation safety performance standards in Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (Subchapter J, Radiological Health) Parts 1010 and 1020:

I used to work for a laptop manufacturer doing support, and we were instructed that in the event that a customer ever called reporting a leaking LCD we were to IMMEDIATELY tell them to hang up the phone, call emergency services, and get a hazmat team onsite, while we escalated the call to our internal dedicated safety response team. That seems like a pretty harsh response (it"s more severe than what I would have been expected to do for anything short of "My laptop set my house on fire") so I"m inclined to think this stuff isn"t especially safe. It may be true that it"s only a hazard if ingested, though; based on my semi-limited knowledge of the chemistry involved that seems possible. If it were me, though, I"d take the extra cautious route just in case.

(In practice, this basically never happens short of a severe puncture like a blade would cause because of the way these things are manufactured. I"ve actually never personally heard of a situation where an LCD was leaking short of taking a bullet.) EDIT: Let me just make this stronger. This hardly ever happens, ever, anywhere, ever - it"s designed to prevent exactly this sort of problem. Unless you actually witness it in action there is probably no reason to worry about it. See further discussion in comments.

Senate Bill 20 (SB 20) (Sher), known as the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003, established a statewide program to promote and fund the collection and recycling of hazardous electronic devices beginning July 1, 2004. Under the new law, retailers will collect an advance recycling fee on covered electronic devices at the time of purchase.

The money collected will be used to fund an electronic waste recycling program that reimburses authorized electronic wastes collectors and recyclers. The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) jointly administer the program. SB 20 identifies covered electronic devices as cathode ray tubes (CRTs), flat panel screens, and other similar devices that DTSC determines to be hazardous. DTSC’s Hazardous Materials Laboratory is now testing consumer electronic devices to

A preliminary report on the results of recent toxicity testing on laptop computers and liquid crystal display (LCD) desktop computer monitors indicate that these devices contain hazardous levels of copper and lead. The determination means that these devices will join CRTs as covered devices regulated under SB 20.

The lab’s findings are available in a report entitled “Determination of Regulated Elements in Laptop Computers and LCD Desktop Monitors for SB 20.” The report details how laptop computers and LCD monitors of different brands and models were analyzed. Testing methods included the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure and the California Waste Extraction Test. The results of these tests were compared to the hazardous waste regulatory thresholds for each analysis.

The SB 20 regulations and related information are available on DTSC’s Web site’s Laws page and on California Legislative Information’s site under Health and Safety Code, Division 20, Chapter 6.5, and Westlaw under Title 22 Division 4.5.

Technology is constantly evolving, bringing us new and better devices that leave us questioning what we ever thought was so great about those old ones in the first place. Last year’s mobile phones, TVs, and computers that use LCD screens are now dated by ever-improving models and a better grade of LCD – so replacing and upgrading the technology is important.

So, what should we do with these old devices and LCD hardware with a lifespan of 10-20 years that we now have lying sad and forgotten in the corner, in the attic, or out on the curb? Recycle them, of course! LCDs have their own regulations for recycling, so here are some tips on how to recycle your old LCD screens and devices.

LCDs that were manufactured before 2009 use cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) to backlight the display. These CCFL displays contain mercury, which makes them hazardous to dispose of or incinerate. Other electronic products can contain hazardous chemicals, such as heavy metals and brominated flame retardants. These materials can leak out of landfills and into groundwater, streams, etc., or can be transformed into “super toxicants” while being incinerated. Throwing away these types of devices can clearly be harmful, even today. There are still some harmful chemicals and materials inside electronic devices that will damage the environment if they aren’t disposed of properly—and many times, they aren’t.

Another big problem is that because of the turn-over rate of these electronic devices, LCD screens are just left sitting in landfills. Since they need to be disposed of in certain ways, they’re left to sit and waste away, taking up space in the landfills. Many states have laws prohibiting the disposal of electronic waste in landfills. Because of that, LCDs are likely to sit and rot, or be incinerated in large quantities. They also could be shipped off to other countries that don’t have these prohibiting laws, which is definitely not the best solution to the problem.

Many times, we get new and better gadgets before the current one even needs replacing. That old TV still works, still shows the picture clearly and there’s not a scratch on it. But this new one…well, it’s bigger. It has the Internet capabilities built right in and it can do backflips! Okay, not really, but the point is that we tend to get something new while we still have a perfectly functioning, but slightly older, model. Instead of keeping it in the attic, you can donate it or recycle it to companies and stores in your area that will take it. These places can resell it to people who don’t have the latest backflipping TV, mobile phone or tablet.

Since the issue was raised, there has been much research performed on the best method for recycling LCD screens. Different facilities have different ideas, practices and processes. Some of these processes include removing the hazardous waste materials from the screens/monitors; others believe in completely taking apart the device/screen piece by piece and seeing what can be resold or refurbished, then disposing of the rest in environmentally friendly ways.

Almost 98% of an LCD monitor can be recycled. All plastics are removed to be recycled into new products. Printed circuit boards can be recovered from LCD recycling and smelted to recover valuable metals, while cabling is stripped to reclaim copper and other metals.

Considering how frequently we get new electronic devices, being smart about LCD recycling can make a huge difference. General Digital encourages all of its customers to recycle their used computer monitors and televisions. Learn more about e-cycling from Maryland’s Department of the Environment, and Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection.