Environmental dilemma, kinda sorta

[nomadradio]

Here's an environmental dilemma for you. Just what is the ecologically-responsible way to ditch a box with 25 and a half pounds of dead external anode power tubes?

Can't seem to find much guidance on this. Ebay didn't work out when I listed a dozen of them at a time. No, I didn't do a body count of this box, just weighed them.

I suspect some of them contain beryllia ceramic, but I don't have a way to test for that. The gold-recovery angle will probably pay about half minimum wage by the time it's done. Only some of them have gold-plated grid wires in them. Just won't know which ones without spending the labor to crack them and see.

There is probably at least 20 pounds of copper here, but every copper anode has a steel ring attached. You can only bond the glass or ceramic ring to steel, not copper. By the time I tear that ring off every one, we're back below minimum wage. And if the scrap guy puts his magnet near the underside of any copper anode, he'll tell me to bug off. Or offer 10 cents a pound.

They are in the way and just need to go.

Somewhere.

Else.

No, I'm not an environmental zealot. One of my favorite stories is the driver who hauled a flatbed with enormous tree trunks piled on it. The cutoff ends facing the rear would have "It's okay, I hugged them first" spray-painted on them before he hit the road.

There must be some means to do this, but I'm ready for constructive suggestions.

73

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

In Delaware, we have an electronics recycling program. There are different drop off stations around to take old electronics to. I sometimes come home with more than I took, it is surprising what people throw away.

Here is a link to the program in your area.

Electronics Recycling - Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet

eec.ky.gov

 

[nomadradio]

Thanks for the link. Hadn't looked at that one since a neighbor with an e-cycle shack moved across the county. He was handy.

Here's a quote from the first local outfit listed.

No televisions of any kind unless a $50 disposal fee per TV or CRT monitor is paid at front office.

Good thing I checked first. Gotta wonder what a dozen 23-channel mobile radios would cost to unload? A trip across town to our old friends' computer support company looks better and better.

73

 

[Rwb]

they say recycle,it cost us. we toss in dump we pollute. look at old tires.

 

[nomadradio]

No easy or cheap answers to the byproducts of industrial civilization.

73

 

[Rwb]

No easy or cheap answers to the byproducts of industrial civilization.

73

nuclear waste is a subject of interest

 

[brandon7861]

they say recycle,it cost us. we toss in dump we pollute. look at old tires.

What is so toxic about tubes anyhow? Any beryllium ceramic will be harmless unless made into breathable dust, so that's not an issue unless you grind them up. The tiny amount of barium for the getter is probably not an issue either, but I suppose you could wash the glass shards (after smashing them up) with sulfuric acid (because barium sulfate is considered safe).

Old tires, at least some, are being reused. Most get the side walls cut off. The banded tread parts are being used to support dirt roads and the material under freeway ramps. It keeps the material from migrating off to the sides the road when driven on. The sidewalls are really good for holding tarps down, especially on large silage piles. I used one sidewall as a noise ring on the ground plane of my antenna .

We should start recycling like our parents/grandparents used to. Milk, beer, soda bottles were returned, washed and refilled, the grocery bags were paper and made good book covers and trash bags, exercise equipment didn't run on electricity, and nobody needed 300HP and 2300lbs worth of car to get 10lbs groceries 10 miles away.

I'll vote nuclear too. People don't realize how little nuclear waste is generated, even mother nature had a working nuclear reactor (Oklo - the location, not the 22-person startup) long before humans knew how to do it. And that area is just fine! Natural ground water rising and falling acted as a moderator and, guess what... that completely unconfined nuclear waste didn't go far at all! And with reactor designs of today where the moderator naturally drains in a power failure or leak, the reaction stops, so a meltdown isn't even a possibility.

It would be cool is if Spin Launch (or whatever it is called) can be used to safely get our nuclear waste into orbit (no rocket to explode and shower us with waste). Once in orbit, it could be intercepted and further launched toward the sun.

 

[Spooner454]

There is a tube rebuilder around woodland ca I'm trying to think of the name but they rebuild they rebuild ceramic tubes, I believe it's called Econico or something like that

 

[Enterprise312ok]

Thanks for the link. Hadn't looked at that one since a neighbor with an e-cycle shack moved across the county. He was handy.


No televisions of any kind unless a $50 disposal fee per TV or CRT monitor is paid at front office.

Good thing I checked first. Gotta wonder what a dozen 23-channel mobile radios would cost to unload? A trip across town to our old friends' computer support company looks better and better.

73

As far as disposing of 23 channel mobiles, could one replace a few crystals and add channels 36 to 40 to an old ssb all crystal 23 channel mobile. I have a couple laying around and 1 almost works rite as is. Also have a freind with a big selection of old crystals.