Chris Rodinis
January 30th, 2013

http://1800recycling.com/2013/01/recycling-circuit-tv-circuit-board/

Don’t try this at home. That is unless you know what you’re doing! This post is post is intended for do-it-yourselfer’s or as they say the DYI crowd. Props to the DYI ! God helps those that help themselves.

Our goal here is to keep everything possible OUT of the landfill. Ultimately we are all heading for a zero-waste future because of the economic, environmental and health benefit. We have a long way to go and reporting on progress is part of the job.

Being a DYI’er brings a needed skill set to the no-landfill-zero-future where this trash planet is heaping in the garbage sure as the sun is rising.

And being a DYI’er in the electronics field you would not be in shock if I told you that there is “gold in them there landfills” The purpose now is for YOU to keep the gold and not the landfill!

You take control of the “gold,” better yet, lets call it “gold e-waste.” The gold e-waste is your responsibility if you choose not to dump it in the local landfill which used to be affectionately known as the “dump.”

Bringing Home the Gold E-waste

For example, today’s post will help you reclaim the gold e-waste from your “TV.” This example is absolutely not for the OLD fashioned boob tube TV with a “picture tube” or CRT. Leave the old sets for the pro’s because of the explosive risks. Trust me.

Now that we are on the same TV screen, back to your TV and the gold e-waste hidden within. Your treasure lies in the printed circuit board (PCB) and your main objective is to safely remove it without harm to you or the board.

We all know what the PCB does. Everything. That’s why it has value. Simple.

And just like cats, dogs and people the PCB eventually, well you know, dies.

Lucky for the DYI e-waste specialist, safely removing “the motherboard” is easier than a walk in the park.

Steps to Defying the Dump

Step One: UNPLUG THE TV! SKIP THIS STEP AND YOU ARE TOAST. TRUST ME.

Step Two: Turn the TV over so that the screen is facing down.

Step Three: Use the correct size screwdriver to carefully unscrew the back panel

Step Four: Locate the main power cord.

Step Five: Using the main power cord as a guide, follow it until you see the PCB.

Step Six: Keep the PCB stationary. Disconnect the wires and remove screws.

Step Seven: Very gently and carefully slide the board away from the slot.

Step Eight (for experts only): If you intend to install a new PCB, please note: beware of electrostatic discharge and wear the required bracelet. Believe it or not, one tiny spark of ESD will fry components in an instant.

Suppose you skip steps one through eight? That means an e-waste recycling solution!

In that case, the motherboard will be fed into a PCB shredder then granulated into a powder to reclaim the valuable metals or recycle the plastic.

For more information about electronic waste or computer recycling please visit:
www.EwasteWiz.com