About CRT

Overview

CRT Recycling Limited specialises in the recycling and marketing of glass from cathode ray tubes and holds over 30% UK market share.

For processing of whole TVs, monitors and other WEEE, please contact our sister company, Electrocycle Ltd, via the Contacts page.

Technical Development - History

CRT Recycling Ltd. was set up in 2004, since when it continues to carry out research and development into the technologies and markets for recycling of old cathode ray tubes and of marketing the processed glass.

Until our entry into the UK market in 2007, the conventional approach for treating CRTs was for the panel glass to be separated from the funnel glass using a variety of technologies. This carries a number of key disadvantages - most notable being high cost, low volumes and poor resulting quality with high reject rates.  Using our innovative technology, CRT Recycling Ltd. is able to take broken cathode ray tubes, in bulk tippers, saving our input customers' time, investment, energy and transport costs.

The key challenge for those companies that either generate waste CRTs (Approved Authorised Treatment Facilities - AATFs) or have financial responsibility (such as Producer Compliance Schemes - PCSs) under the WEEE regulations, however, does not relate to collection or disassembly of TVs and monitors but to achieving market outlets for the glass (without which recycling targets cannot be met) - our pioneering development  ensures that recycling targets and continuity of market outlet can and has been achieved.

CRT Recycling does not provide TV or monitor collection or recycling services - we focus purely on the efficient, high volume production of quality glass as a raw material for new CRT panel and funnel manufacture as well as a range of other glass products. We only obtain CRTs in bulk from selected contractors carrying out TV and monitor disassembly and who meet our quality standard specifications.

Recycling

CRT Recycling Ltd, utilises a unique system for processing CRT glass which avoids the requirement to split the cathode ray tube into panel and funnel glass - consequently creating significant cost savings for our suppliers - AATFs and PCSs.

Previously CRTs, once removed from the television or monitor, were required to be individually split into their component parts of panel and funnel glass - a process which often involved additional logistics costs and then careful handling, capital equipment, energy, labour, and which resulted in significant rejection rates. Furthermore the resultant material was often of poor quality and failed to meet the exacting requirements of new CRT manufacturers. In addition, if a CRT was already broken, other operators could not process the glass and it would have to be sent to hazardous waste landfill.

CRT Recycling Ltd processes broken CRTs – avoiding these additional costs and allowing TV disassemblers to handle far greater volumes with the re-assurance a high recycling rate and of a continuity of market outlet for the CRT glass. This makes CRT splitting both obsolete and uncompetitive.

Transport Savings

By being able to accept broken CRTs we can save our customers, who bring in the old CRTs, significant financial sums and, at the same time, substantially reducing their carbon footprint. CRT Recycling can accept CRTs delivered in both bulk tippers or in hooklift bins. All our customers need to do is to ensure that the vehicle meets the standards of our Cleaning Certificate.

Processing

Once the broken CRTs are received they enter a system which has been developed as part of an industrial production process to prepare a vital raw material for CRT manufacturers – as such this is more akin to a technical glass manufacturing process than a waste treatment process. Through a series of unique actions the glass is cleaned, the metal is removed, the glass is separated between funnel and panel glass, and ceramics and other contaminants are removed. This process is easily adaptable to provide a range of other outlet products each with their own specific technical specification and process.

Marketing

CRT Recycling Ltd, is a supplier of high quality raw material glass to varied markets across the UK and internationally. CRT Recycling Ltd is able to place over 30,000 tonnes per year of processed glass into a range of uses with the added benefit to our customers of a range of high quality specifications from which to choose.

One route for our product is to use the CRT glass as a recyclate, in place of virgin raw materials, and this is particularly attractive to CRT manufacturers giving them significant savings in energy, CO2 emissions, and other expensive raw material inputs as well as enhancing their production levels. This "closing of the recycling loop" represents a strong environmental activity that we are pleased to be supporting through our operations at CRT Recycling.  The combination of our research, quality and strategy ensures long term outlets for the leaded funnel glass.