E-waste recycling processes in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam: A case study of cathode ray tube TVs and monitors

• The recycling processes of CRT TVs/monitors in Southeast Asia are studied.
• Process flows at formal and informal recycling sites were compared.
• Destinations of materials from formal and informal recycling sites were compared.
• More appropriate recycling infrastructure is needed in Southeast Asia.
• Better recycling solutions for waste CRT glass are needed in Southeast Asia.

The amount of electronic waste (e-waste) is rapidly increasing due to economic growth and the advancement of information technology. End-of-life (EOL) cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs and computer monitors make up the greatest proportion of the total mass of e-waste. Because of international trade in secondhand CRT TVs and monitors and the toxic substances contained in them, the EOL fate of CRTs is an emerging concern in developing countries. In this study, the recycling and treatment techniques of EOL CRT TVs/monitors were investigated in three Southeast Asian countries (Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam). The current recycling methods of CRT TVs/monitors in Japan and China were also reviewed for comparison. The process flows and destinations of materials or parts at both formal and informal recycling sites were compared. Among the three countries, only one formal facility in the Philippines has automated processing equipment for CRTs. CRT glass handled by informal sectors was illegally dumped or disposed of with regular municipal solid waste. Some waste CRT glass was also informally recycled as glass materials or exported to China. A number of recommendations are made to improve recycling conditions at both formal and informal recycling sites.