10 Tons of Electronic Waste Found
About 10 tons of electronic waste, including potentially hazardous cathode ray tubes from computer monitors and other dangerous materials, was found dumped Wednesday morning on a vacant lot in Long Beach, officials said.
Jim Kuhl, an official with the city’s waste management department, said the refuse apparently was dumped during the night at 16th Street and Long Beach Boulevard because laws prohibit the disposal of the tubes, which contain lead, in commercial landfills.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. May 3, 2003 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday May 03, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 2 inches; 70 words Type of Material: Correction
Electronic waste -- An article in Thursday’s California section about electronic waste dumped on a vacant lot in Long Beach stated incorrectly that dumping cathode ray tubes from computer monitors and television sets in ordinary landfills was banned two years ago by the state Department of Health Services. In fact, the ban was ordered by the state Department of Toxic Substances Control. The tubes can be dumped in hazardous-waste landfills.
He said hazardous-materials experts were brought in to deal with the problem.
“It’s probably a $15,000 to $20,000 cleanup,” he said.
The state Department of Health Services banned the dumping of tubes from computer monitors and television sets two years ago. Other electronics contain such toxic elements as cadmium, barium and mercury.
The state Department of Toxic Substances announced in February that cell phones, stereos and computer hard drives will be banned from landfills starting in 2006.
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