[GreenYes] E-Waste in Landfills

["Peter Anderson" <anderson@recycleworlds.org>]

John Reindl asks:

"I have been asked to help find articles or studies that document the
presence of lead in landfill leachate, especially the contribution of lead
from computer circuit boards and monitors. Does anyone have any information
on this?"

The definitive analysis on this subject is "Characterization of of Lead
Leachability from Cathode Ray Tubes Using the Toxicity Characteristic
Leaching Procedure," by Tim Townsend. It's posted on the Florida Center for
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management web site.

Be aware that it does not directly answer your question. As a proxy for how
much is in landfill's he uses EPA protocols for projecting how much
hazardous material is expected to leach out, the TCLP procedure.

Although there is much debate about how much lead will, in fact, leach in a
landfill, that is largely irrelevant if one removes the element of time.
Ultimately, everything will break down, even though a part -- even a
significant part -- of those toxic compounds may remain entrained in the
mattrix of the monitor for years and/or decades.  But, since lead is does
not break down but is permanent and accumulates, the possibility of long
time frames does not seem to me to reduce the cumulative environmental
impact.

                                                            Peter
______________________________
Peter Anderson
RECYCLEWORLDS CONSULTING Corp
4513 Vernon Blvd. Suite 15
Madison, WI 53705
Ph:    (608) 231-1100
Fax:   (608) 233-0011
Cell:   (608) 345-0381
email: anderson@recycleworlds.org
web:  www.recycleworlds.org

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