The table below will help to identify common sources of hazardous waste in durable goods.
![]() | A brand new TV contains some 4,000 chemicals and 500-600 grams of lead. This lead, from the solder in the circuitry and the glass of the screen, may leak out of landfills and into drinking water supplies. Human consumption of lead can result in damage to the brain and central nervous system. |
Refrigerators can create a disposal problem if they contain CFCs, a class of
ozone depleting chemical. New refrigerators are CFC-free but old ones
may have CFCs in the cooling system and foam insulation. Although CFCs in
cooling systems must be captured prior to disposal, no law currently
regulates CFCs in foam.
Fluorescent light bulbs, thermostats and some light switches
contain mercury. If incinerated, the mercury-containing ash
may leach out of even the most state-of-the-art landfill and into
the environment. Mercury can damage the kidneys and the nervous system.
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