How Do You Deal With Antimony When Recycling Electronics?
Antimony is a trace element used in several components of electronic equipment. You’ll find it in cathode ray tubes in old monitors (CRTs), printed circuit boards and as a fire retardant in electronic cable coatings. At the present rate of use, we will exhaust the world’s supply of antimony within the next 15 years. It’s also a known carcinogen, so recycling it responsibly is important. Here’s how to do it. Consider refurbishing the components rather than disposing of them. You can upgrade computers or consign them to other uses. For example, if you just need a computer and monitor to browse the Internet, do word processing or create spreadsheets, an older model can perform these functions without any upgrades. Keep antimony and other dangerous metals out of landfills by finding a recycling center if you need to dispose of old electronic equipment. Most cities have multiple sites that will accept these items, and there is generally no cost involved. Another alternative is to donate the
