2. misc-audio
  3. 1020960760

Junked audio components - hazardous waste...

Hi,
I was wondering whether any of you have thought of the fact that all these audio toys we're trading back and forth here will eventually die, and once dead, will have to be discarded.
I was motivated by an online story about cellphones having a short shelf/use life for most people, and then many just throw them away in the trash. Meanwhile their components contain chemicals that are toxic when processed in any way, either burned or crushed and left to leak into landfills.
Almost all audio components have this potential problem as well: capacitors, transformers, etc. galore, all contain highly toxic materials if introduced into the ground/water/air.
With an average useful life of around 20 years, by now there must be millions of old hi-fis in landfills now, with more and more on the way!
Any ideas for an audio junkyard we could start?
tacs
tacs OP
220 posts
 
Thanks Djjd for an unusually informative post, and to all for their responses. I don't doubt that with respect to hi-end it's a relatively minor issue but still a symptom of a wider problem. Re: the military, Albert, don't get me started, IMO the worst waste of resources in the history of the world.
As for vintage Marantz, if I find any I'm keeping it! Cheers
Tom Schuman
tripper
223 posts
 
My company sends dead PCs to a recycler who strips the valuable components ;\ hopefully reducing the toxic content of what remains. Better than throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Junked audio is almost certainly hazardous waste, and it is a tribute to human stupidity and short sightedness that we never consider how we'll dispose of things when we start creating them.

However Agon is a great recycling scheme ... and quality audio components usually last 15-20 years. Compare that with the trash pumped out by best buy, circuit city and goodguys ... cheap, crappy consumer electronics is the worst offender, especially modern TVs, which only seem to make it for 5 years. Most of my components are 5-10 years old, and as good as new.
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