Contact Pacific Southwest Waste Program
Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Rule
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Regulations took effect in January 2007 requiring exporters to notify the EPA prior to shipping broken or unbroken CRTs to another country for recycling and receive written consent from the receiving country before shipments can be made. For more information on the rule, please see the Final Rules on Cathode Ray Tubes and Discarded Mercury-Containing Equipment.
What is a CRT?
CRT stands for cathode ray tube, which is the picture tube or the video display components in traditional televisions and computer monitors. The glass in these units typically contains enough lead to require managing it as hazardous waste under certain circumstances. Flat-screen televisions and computer monitors, such as plasma or LCDs, do not have a CRT.
Do These New Regulations Apply to Me?
If you collect, recycle, or export CRTs then these regulations may apply to you. Check the CRT Fact Sheet (PDF) (1 pp, 280K, About PDF) to see what you need to do to comply with these regulations.
What Can Happen if Businesses Fail to Make the Proper Notifications?
Exporters of computer monitors must submit formal notification to EPA prior to shipping overseas. The required notice and consent of the receiving country helps ensure that CRTs are recycled in an environmentally sound manner.
In August 2008, EPA filed a $32,500 complaint against Jet Ocean Technologies of Chino, CA for failing to notify the EPA of a cathode ray tube (CRT) export shipment, in violation of federal hazardous waste laws.
In March, EPA was alerted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to the presence of a shipping container of “scrap metal” that contained 441 computer monitors with CRTs. The container was owned by Jet Ocean Technologies, and had been shipped to Hong Kong, where it was rejected by customs authorities. Exported CRTs, even those supposedly destined for recycling, often pose risk to human health and environment from open burning and land disposal.
For More Information - if you reside in CA/AZ/NV/HI please contact:
Jim Polek (polek.jim@epa.gov)
Environmental Engineer
US EPA Region 9, Waste Management Division
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, California 94105
Phone: (415) 972-3185