by Lovely A. Carillo
If you think that computer donations from multinational companies and politicians, let alone foreign governments, to poor Filipino schools and communities are a boon then you better think again. The inconvenient truth is that these computers, which usually come with the old cathode-ray tube or CRT monitors, are highly toxic.
If you are among those who have developed an attachment to your CRT monitor even if your office or home has become too small because of its bulk, then you may want to consider some of these reasons why you should go ahead and dispose of them.
For one, CRT monitors are no longer fashionable primarily because they are bulky and are virtual energy guzzlers, consuming a minimum of 150 Watts for a 17-inch monitor. They emit harmful radiation as well as cause eyestrain and fatigue among others.
CRTs are those monitors that look pretty much like the old television sets that came in a very bulky form. They should be differentiated from the plasma and LCD monitors which make use of new digital technologies.
“We just don’t realize how toxic these old computers are and how much pollution they are causing,” Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.-Information and Communication Technology (DCCCII-ICT) consultant Andre Fournier said. Hard as it may seem, Fournier admitted that the ICT sector is one of the major pollutants not only in the city but the world over.
Research shows that on the average, CRT monitors have four to eight pounds of lead content, a highly toxic heavy metal.
It is for this reason that the ICT sector is campaigning for the total phase-out of all CRT monitors in the city in one to two year’s time. Fourneir said CRT monitors consume so much energy that you can just imagine the power consumption of internet cafes considering the number of units they use in their shops.
“We were asked by City Hall about energy saving tips and the simplest we can give is for all computer users in the local government to turn off their monitors during lunch breaks,” he said.
Proper e-Waste disposal
Alongside the campaign for the total phase-out of the CRTs is the chamber’s drive for responsible disposal of e-waste. The campaign, which is being done in cooperation with SM City Davao, has designated the first Saturday of every month as Waste Market Day. “If you have CRT monitors or other e-waste just lying in your household or neighborhood then better sell them to the accredited e-waste buyers at SM City,” he said.
“CRT monitors are not only heavy energy users but they are also very difficult to dispose of since you cannot just throw them away,” Fournier said. E-waste, like CRT monitors, are highly toxic and can pollute the environment if not disposed of properly, he said adding that a lot of people working in factories producing computers and even other electronic materials usually experience some form of illness after working in the factory and this shows.
Earth 911, a non-government environmental advocacy group, earlier reported that e-waste volume all over the world is estimated at about 40 million metric tons, a year. This type of waste includes not only personal computers but also iPods, digital cameras, mobile phones and the like, Fournier said.
City Councilor Leonardo Avila III, chairman of the Council committee on environment, said e-waste contributes to the city’s garbage problem and people should be educated on its proper disposal. He said it is important to know which of the garbage can be reused or recycled so that the community does not get buried in an avalanche of toxic waste.
Fournier said the collected e-waste are not just thrown away; instead, these are collected and then assessed for possible recycling. There are several parts that can still be recycled such as the chips. The motherboards are, however, very poisonous, he said, and should be disposed of properly.
By doing this, he said, people are not only helping save energy but are also helping in the protection of the environment.
The ICT sector is not, however, content with this, he said, adding that there are continuing talks and negotiations with other sectors in the community to come up with a more pronounced e-waste collection and disposal campaign so that they can make a difference. People should be made aware of the pollution that their computers and other e-waste can cause and they should be taught about proper disposal of these waste products.
Fournier admitted it is hard to account for the number of CRT monitors still being used in the city. With individuals owning one or more computers, it is very difficult to determine how many computers are actually being used in the city’s private sector.
There is, however, a plan to monitor the number of computers being used by sectors that are being regulated by the government, such as internet cafes. Effective January next year, all internet cafes will be asked to answer a survey about the computers and laptops they own upon registration of their businesses.
The $20 billion market for CRTs (as of 1999) is getting smaller as the world becomes aware of how toxic they are, This is evident with the merging of rivals LG Electronics and the world’s largest CRT manufacturer –Philips Electronics. Add the closure of the $500 million per year CRT operation of Hitachi and you will get the big picture. Indeed, your CRT monitors will soon because part of the Jurassic era and you should dispose of them the soonest possible time.
