An individual enjoying a stroll in the countryside stumbled across old TVs dumped along a road and sparked a discussion about a looming crisis in the r/crt subreddit.
What's happening?
The Redditor posted an image of the peaceful, tree-lined road near their house along with two photos of the damaged "cathode ray tube" TVs, or CRTs, which fell out of favor as flat-screen TVs with better display qualities began to hit the market in the late 1990s.
"Thought it was pretty crazy somebody would throw these way out here," the poster wrote.
"That's a huge shame," one commenter responded.
"This hurts my soul," another said.
Why is this important?
While the OP didn't expect to see the improperly dumped waste, other Redditors who lived in remote areas suggested the problem wasn't unusual.
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"Having grown up along an old country road, it unfortunately doesn't surprise me at all," one person shared. "People would dump all kinds of stuff out there."
"It happens all the time on my road," another added.
When electronics end up in landfills or illegal dumping grounds, the valuable materials that go into making them aren't recovered. According to the firm EY, e-waste causes losses of at least $57 billion each year, with iron, copper, and gold among the materials discarded.
As for the CRTs, the Environmental Protection Agency classifies them as hazardous waste because they, like many types of e-waste, contain lead, which is known to cause brain damage, hearing problems, nerve disorders, and other serious health issues.
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The EPA recommends recycling old CRTs if repair or reuse isn't possible. Improperly dumping CRTs and other types of e-waste can introduce lead and other toxic substances into ecosystems, harming wildlife and contaminating resources we rely on for daily survival.
Why would someone dump old electronics on a remote roadside?
One Redditor suggested that recycling services weren't accessible in every community, particularly for people on fixed incomes.
"Now they're trendy and retro, but until recently, you couldn't get rid of them anywhere. Most recycling places wouldn't take them and the few that did, the fees were more than excessive," they wrote. "I kept a dead tube for 4 years waiting for a free way to get rid of it."
The EPA also acknowledges the challenges associated with CRT disposal, writing, "Because of rising costs, negative economic incentives, and shifts in CRT glass markets, some CRT processors and recyclers are choosing to store the glass indefinitely rather than send it for recycling or disposal, which increases the risk of mismanagement and/or abandonment."
The agency says it is working with the recycling community and governmental entities to identify more effective waste management solutions for old CRTs.
What can be done about e-waste more broadly?
While you may need to seek a specialized recycling facility to get rid of your CRT, Recycle Nation is one resource that can help you find options in your area.
However, if your old TV is in working condition or salvageable, someone may be interested in taking it off your hands — and maybe even giving you some cash in return.
"I totally would've kept these. Looks like they've been there for a long time," one person wrote on the Reddit thread.
Facebook and eBay are two popular platforms where you can sell your old stuff online. For smaller electronics such as laptops, cellphones, and extension cords, you can consider Trashie's Tech Take Back Box, which offers rewards from popular brands for recycling.
Exploring store-credit programs from major retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon are other ways to recoup value on your old electronics and responsibly get rid of them.
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