Pb-Laden CRT glass as classifying hazardous waste definition or exemption in landfill disposal in China

Disposal of waste CRT glass is now an urgent environmental protection issue. We collected waste CRT glass from monochrome and color television sets, analyzed their chemical compositions using X-ray fluorescence, and studied the leaching characteristics of Pb in the glass using sulfuric and nitric acids and acetic acid buffer leaching toxicity tests. The results showed that the order of the Pb leaching levels was color panel glass < monochrome glass < color funnel glass. The average Pb concentrations leached in sulfuric and nitric acids from color funnel and panel glasses and from monochrome funnel and panel glasses did not exceed the regulatory limits for Pb according to the China Identification Standards for Hazardous Waste—Identification for Extraction Toxicity. Only the average concentration of Pb leached in acetic acid buffer from color funnel glass exceeded the regulatory levels for Pb while those from other glasses were lower than 1 mg/L. Monochrome panel and funnel glasses and color panel glass can be disposed off as common industrial solid waste or co-disposed off with municipal solid waste. Color funnel glass, however, should be managed and disposed off in strict conformity with the requirements for hazardous waste disposal.