At which point does ewaste become hazardous material?

I've been searching and searching the EPA website and getting what seems like conflicting information. For instance, I read that circuit boards are not classified as hazardous waste if they are left intact. Yet it's universally accepted that they would be considered hazardous if dropped off in a landfill.

But anyway, I know that if a computer is sitting on my desk for my personal use, it is not considered hazardous waste. But that's about all I've been able to figure out.

From my place to the refiner, at what point does a whole unit (computer, monitor, etc.) and its parts/components become classified as hazardous? Anybody know? Links would be helpful, if possible.

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Originally Posted by billygoat

I've been searching and searching the EPA website and getting what seems like conflicting information. For instance, I read that circuit boards are not classified as hazardous waste if they are left intact. Yet it's universally accepted that they would be considered hazardous if dropped off in a landfill.

But anyway, I know that if a computer is sitting on my desk for my personal use, it is not considered hazardous waste. But that's about all I've been able to figure out.

From my place to the refiner, at what point does a whole unit (computer, monitor, etc.) and its parts/components become classified as hazardous? Anybody know? Links would be helpful, if possible.

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Lead acid battery's are hazardous waste if I'm hauling over 500 lbs as a citizen I can legally haul to the scrap yard if I'm over 500 lbs then I need to have dangerous goods transportation certificate and display appropriate signage all four sides of the truck, if I have a petrol or oil spill under so may litres, I can mop up with out calling in the suits - exceed the limit the suits are coming in to mop up.,

Circuit boards in the landfill are hazardous because they leach out into the soil, I can legally store 500 lbs of boards but must be kept inside or have suitable cover, if your in a residential neighborhood my guess is that your not going to be able to store hundreds of pounds of boards.

Quick call to the EPA will take the mystery away. Better yet make a call to the D.O.T. any weigh scale they're a bit more impersonal.

Thanks, Gustavus, that helps a little. I mostly deal with ewaste, and am interested not so much a definition, but when it becomes hazardous. Here's what I found out so far from this EPA publication at http://www.epa.gov/osw/inforesources...ing/hwid05.pdf

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Hazardous waste identification begins with an obvious point: in order for any material to be a hazardous waste, it must first be a waste. But, deciding whether an item is or is not a waste is not always easy.

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That's about as close an answer as I suppose I'll ever get...

I should probably wear a mask when I break them down from the sounds of things.

When the dozers at the land fills run over the e-waste it becomes loose and broken up and starts leaking into the soil.Landfills are required to have a liner and a leach pound so I do not believe it ever really becomes hazardous unless someone goes to the landfill and eats some dirt contaminated with e-waste seepage or drinks the leach water lol oh yea I forgot a lot of the landfills will take the leach water and spray it on the roads for dust control, I guess that might become an issue some how? lol fun fun fun

This is something I needed to research before I started my e-waste business:

Scrap circuit boards are considered spent commercial waste (same as scrap metal) if they are whole and/or being recycled and are exempt from hazardous waste regulations. Once a board is shredded or thrown in a landfill, it is considered hazardous waste. Basically, taking them apart and transporting them to the yard is perfectly fine. As long as you are not shredding them or throwing away more than 220 pounds per month you'll be fine.

CRTs are the same deal. They are exempt from hazardous waste regulation if they are whole and intact (vacuum not released), broken (vacuum released), and/or sorting and waiting to be recycled. The catch is that broken CRTs must be stored in-doors (or in a vehicle, or similar covered container). If it is exposed to the environment (read: outside) and/or hoarded in large amounts (at least 75% of the total volume of CRTs by weight must be recycled per year) it constitutes as hazardous waste.

That is all you need to know as far as the EPA is concerned. Individual states have different requirements.

there are certain components on e boards that contain highly toxic materials.

Hazardous Substances in e-Waste | ewasteguide.info