WEEELABEX CRT Displays – Specific Requirements
WEEELABEX (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment – Label of Excellence)
An Initiative of the WEEE Forum co-financed by the European Commission’s LIFE Programme
(LIFE07 ENV/B/000041)
Document type
Title
Status
Version
Author
Date
Action required
Working Document
WEEELABEX CRT Displays – Specific requirements
Draft
6.2
WG CRT
5th of January, 2011
Version after PSG and DIGITALEUROPE commnets
WEEELABEX Specific requirements - CRT Displays V 6.2
WEEELABEX CRT Displays – Specific Requirements
1
Scope
1.1 This standard describes the specific requirements pertaining to CRT display appliances
(CRT-A) in the WEEE stream as a part of the WEEELABEX standard. This standard is
applicable to all CRT-A, including all components and all fractions thereof, until the end of
waste status is fulfilled in accordance with Article 6 of the Directive 2008/98/EC on waste.
1.2 This standard defines additional requirements to those defined in the WEEELABEX
general requirements for Collection, Logistics and Treatment of WEEE and addresses the
specific requirements of treatment of CRT-A as part of the WEEE stream, including all
components, fractions thereof and associated coatings.
1.3 This standard aims to:

Achieve effective and efficient handling of CRT-A in order to prevent pollution,
minimize emissions and maximize recovery of secondary materials

Assure that quality, environmental, health and safety targets are achieved during CRTA handling and properly document theirs achievement

Maximise mass yield of CRT glass and achieve the highest possible rate of recovery
and recycling of CRT glass.

Achieve the highest possible rate of removed fluorescent coatings from CRT glass and
avoid emission of fluorescent coatings to the environment

Avoid lead dispersion to the environment

Prevent illegal export of CRT-A and its fractions thereof

Identify of criteria upon which the end of life status for CRT-A fractions are achieved
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WEEELABEX Specific requirements - CRT Displays V 6.2
2
Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply:
2.1
CRT Display Appliance (CRT-A)
Whole TV sets and whole computer monitors containing cathode ray tube (CRT) or CRTs with
related deflection coil included in business to business appliances like hospital monitors, b ank
cash machines, oscilloscopes etc.
2.2
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)
The cathode ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing:

Screen (panel glass with coatings)

Cone (funnel glass with coatings and neck glass)

Frit glass

Shadow mask (only for colour CRTs)

Anti implosive metal frame

Electron gun
Individual parts of CRT are shown on the following scheme (this scheme will be relabeled
when definitions will be finally fixed. CRT WG insist on this drawing as a fundamental and
absolutely necessary for definition understanding).:
2.3
Fluorescent coatings
Fluorescent coatings are laid on inner side of a screen. They contain wide range of metals,
heavy metals (e.g. cadmium) and rare-metals (e.g. europium and yttrium). They are classified
as a hazardous waste.
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WEEELABEX Specific requirements - CRT Displays V 6.2
2.4
Panel glass (also sometimes called front glass)
Glass from front part of CRT with high content of barium oxide and strontium oxide and which
meets at least limits set in clause 4.1.4.
2.5
Funnel glass (also sometimes called cone glass)
Glass from back part of CRT with high content of lead oxide.
NOTE Panel glass and funnel glass are glued together by frit glass. Frit glass contains very high
content of lead.
2.6
CRT glass
All types of glass originated from CRT either as separate fraction or mixed.
2.7
Cleaned CRT glass
CRT glass without fluorescent coatings.which meets at least limits set in clause 4.2.3.
2.8
Uncleaned CRT glass
CRT glass with fluorescent coatings.
2.9
Deflection coil
Is a copper coil freely placed on cone. It deflects ele ctron beams emitted by electron gun.
2.10
Flux
Additives to a smelting or refining process to assist in the forming of a slag, which is needed
for the separation of slag forming elements from metals. Examples of flux used: SiO2, CaO,
FeO.
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WEEELABEX Specific requirements - CRT Displays V 6.2
3
Administrative and organisational requirements
3.1 Specifics of CRT-A collection and transport
3.1.1 Any dismantling, crushing or compacting
permitted.
of CRT-A prior to the treatment is not
3.1.2 During all collection operations CRT-A shall be kept separately from other WEEE
streams.
NOTE: Exception should not be made even for mixing CRT-A with Flat Screen Panels.There is a substantional risk
of breaking LCD and mercury containing back lighting lamps
3.1.3 When identification and sorting out of CRT-A with broken CRT can be assured on
collection facility during taking over, then CRT-A with unbroken CRT can be stored without
any special requirements for a temporary period of one months. In all other cases general
requirements of this standard shall be applied.
3.1.4 When storing CRT-A they shall be placed in containers or stacked in a stable manner
to prevent damage or breakage of the appliances.
3.1.5 When CRT-A is put in or put out to/from the containers, it shall be done in a way to
prevent any breakage of the CRT. Uncontrolled filling or tipping of the containers or bulk
containers to avoid breakage of CRT-A shall not be permitted.
3.1.6 When individual CRT-A (in bulk) is loaded and unloaded to/from the vehicle loading
space, it shall be done in a way to prevent any breakage of the CRT. Tipping of the CRT-A
from the vehicle loading spaces shall not be permitted .
3.1.7 Handling with containers, loading and unloading them to/from the vehicle shall be
performed with care to avoid any damage or breakage of the CRT .
3.1.8 CRT-A shall be transported only in weatherproof covered containers or vehicles with
covered loading space.
3.2 Environmental, health and safety requirements
3.2.1 During all treatment operations special care must be devoted to prevent uncontrolled
emissions of fluorescent and other coatings and glass dust to air to prevent h ealth and
environmental damage.
3.2.2 Fluorescent and other coatings or glass dust shall not contaminate breathing zone of
treatment facility operators and occupational exposure limits (OEL) shall be met at all times.
3.2.3 Any dry crushing, shredding, splitting and cleaning of CRT or CRT-A shall be done in
environment with effective dust exhausting connected to an efficient air filtration system. The
filtration class of the air filtration system shall assure that emission limits are complied with at
all times.
3.2.4 If any wet crushing, shredding, splitting and cleaning of CRT or CRT-A is carried out
then water used in technology shall be kept in close loop circle without any leakages .
Technological water shall not be released to sewage water system.
3.2.5 Treatment operators shall establish a regular monitoring of output of an air filtration
system at the treatment plant. Quantities of dust and heavy metal emissions (especially lead
and cadmium) shall be determined by accredited laboratory.
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WEEELABEX Specific requirements - CRT Displays V 6.2
3.2.6 If any crushing, shredding, splitting or cleaning of CRTs or CRT-A is carried out by the
treatment operator a regular airborne dust monitoring of inner working environment shall be
established at the treatment plant, following the periodicity and protocols described in
respective European legislation on Health and Safety. Especially monitoring of dust with
possible fibrogenous effect, content of heavy metals (especially lead and cadmium) in dust
shall be determine by accredited laboratory.
3.2.7 All operator personnel shall be regularly informed about health and safety risks related
to the treatment processes of CRT-A. Especially physical hazards of cutting by CRT cullet and
toxic hazard of heavy metal content in phosphorous coatings shall be pointed out.
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WEEELABEX Specific requirements - CRT Displays V 6.2
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Technical requirements
4.1 Separation process
4.1.1 During de-pollution operations CRT or CRT glass shall be separated from the re st of
CRT-A to avoid contamination of other components and fractions of CRT-A.
4.1.2 Separated CRT or uncleaned CRT glass shall always be considered as a hazardous
waste and handled according to hazardous waste requirements set up by appropriate national
legislation or treatment plant licence.
4.1.3 All other components and fractions of CRT-A after de-pollution operations shall not
contain CRT glass. This shall be proven by controlling that each fraction and component
contains less then 2 % by weight of CRT glass. Exceptions are:

deflection coil components where the content of CRT glass shall be less then 4 %
by weight of CRT glass

waste sludge from wet method of processing where CRT glass content is not
limited

dust from air filtration system and the finest waste f raction from sieving process,
where CRT glass content is not limited.

removed fluorescent coatings fraction where CRT glass content is not limited.
4.1.4 When sorting out different CRT glass fractions, panel glass fraction shall contain less
then 0,6% PbO, otherwise it shall not be considered as panel glass fraction.
4.2 Cleaning process
4.2.1 Fluorescent coatings shall be removed from CRT glass. Exception is only possible
when CRT or uncleaned CRT glass is used as a flux in smelters which have the capability to
recycle or recover lead.
4.2.2 Removed fluorescent coatings shall always be considered as a hazardous waste and
handled according to hazardous waste requirements set up by appropriate national legisl ation
or treatment plant licence.
Note: According to waste treatment hierarchy recycling or recovery of fluorescent coatings or theirs compounds
(e.g. europium and yttrium) is preferred before appropriate disposal methods.
4.2.3 All treatment operations shall avoid contamination of components and fractions of CRTA by fluorescent coatings. All CRT glass fractions after de-pollution shall not contain
fluorescent coatings. This shall be proven by controlling that any glass fraction do not contain
more then 4 ppm of Y 2 O 3 in dry basis or less then 0,1 mg of yttrium per one liter of wa ter
leach (Method of measurement of fluorescent coatings content and reference to the
analytical norms will be supplied by EERA latest 20 th of January 2011 and will be added later
on. It is also necessary to prove that those limits can be applied to both kinds of cleaning
methods – wet and dry )
Note: During mechanical treatment when whole CRT-A is crushed there is a risk that also other fraction than glass
can be polluted by fluorescent coatings. Research will be ma de if it is necessary to limit pollution of other fractions
by fluorescent coatings.
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WEEELABEX Specific requirements - CRT Displays V 6.2
4.3 Recycling and recovery process
4.3.1 Waste treatment hierarchy shall be followed, therefore recycling or recovery of the CRT
glass shall always be preferred way. Landfilling of the CRT glass shall only be done in a
inevitable cases and considered as a last option.
4.3.2 Only cleaned CRT glass shall be accepted to recycling or recovery processes.
Exception is only possible when CRT or uncleaned CRT glass is recovered as a flux in
smelters with a capability to recycle or recover lead.
4.3.3 Funnel glass or mixture of CRT glass shall preferably be recovered or recycled to the
products or in a processes where lead content has a technical function to prevent lead
dispersion to other products and outer environment. Otherwise such glass shall be utilized in
a way that lead content in final product does not exceed appropriate limits set up by national
legislation. If such glass does not reach product status then waste legislation shall still be
applied.
4.3.4 When lead content limits in products are not set up by national legislation , then
governmental approval or environmental product declaration (EDP) according to ISO 14025
shall be applied
.
Note: Lead content is desirable e.g. in CRT glass or X-ray glass.
4.3.5 CRT glass shall only be recycled or recovered in the following processes :

Production of CRT glass

Production of glass products

Smelting technology adapted for the intake of lead bearing raw material

Production of products or recycling processes that make further use of the
lead/barium glass ensuring that provisions in clause 4.3.4.are fullfiled.
4.3.6 When CRT or CRT glass is used in melting or smelting technology an emission filtration
system shall be installed in a plant to meet requirements set up by national legislation or
treatment plant licence.
4.3.7 Only cleaned CRT glass shall be exported from EU and EFTA territory.This glass shall
only be accepted to recycling or recovery processes outside of EU and EFTA territory. . The
requirements of EU level shall always be achieved in such recycling and recovery processes.
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