Abandoned e-waste piles threaten Utah local communities

SALT LAKE CITY (Scrap Monster): The sites of the closed Stone Castle Recycling are feared to contain millions of pounds of CRT waste, posing threat to Utah’s local communities.

Stone Castle Recycling was in news following the dramatic electronic waste fire that took place on March 2^nd, 2014 at their Parowan facility. The BAN survey of the site had revealed that approximately 300 gaylord boxes of electronic waste were stored in the open lot at the rear side of the site. Almost one-fourth of the piled up waste was destroyed by the fire before firefighters were able to extinguish the fire.

According to sources, the leased Clearfield warehouse has about 3.5 million pounds of piled television glasses. The estimated cost to clear the waste pile would be nearly $500,000. The company has cleaned out only its Parowan site. As per EPA officials, all treated waste was completely disposed by January this year. However, all other sites, currently handled by Utah’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), remain piled high with tonnes of CRT waste.

The safe disposal of tons of old televisions is sure to incur huge costs. The owner of the business is unlikely to cover that cost. Stone Castle's owner is currently facing lawsuits and misdemeanor charges for his failed business.

The abandoned CRTs pose serious health threats due to the presence of lead and other toxic materials. They cannot be tossed to landfills either.