If you own an old TV, you probably know that the parts that have been used to make this TV are very different than the parts that are used to make modern televisions. CRT TVs were made using very different processes than plasma TVs or LCD TVs. This can lead to all kinds of questions about the value of your old TV.
CRT TVs typically contain parts that are made from copper, gold, iron, steel, and other metals. This can lead to issues with the disposal of these items since these are not recyclable parts at regular recycling centers. There is not usually enough gold in your TV to be worth taking it apart, but you might need to find out what to do with it when you want to dispose of it.
Which Parts of Old TVs Contain Gold?
The most common source of gold in your old TV will be the cathode ray tubes. These will also contain lead, barium, and strontium. This can make handling them unsafe for your health, so be careful. There is also copper in the track of printed circuit boards, and connectors will usually contain some trace amounts of cold as well.
There are people who part out computers and TVs for the gold that they can collect. If you want to try and do this, be sure that you are following safe practices. You want to ensure that you are not coming into contact with harmful chemicals that you might get burned by or which could harm your lungs.
Many people place hard drives and other parts in acid baths to allow them to dissolve away from the metals inside the TV. This is a time-consuming process, but if you have a lot of old TVs to dispose of, it could be worth it. Many people do this for a living, which is often why people inquire if there is gold in their television or computer.
Always make sure that you are using proper recycling processes so that you are not going to harm the environment or pollute. There are locations that will take your old electronics and properly dispose of them in nearly every city. Make sure that you have looked into this option and explored the best way to dispose of your TV.
Old TVs do Contain Gold
There are trace amounts of gold in old televisions and even more gold in computer parts. These were some of the main metals used to make connectors and to build cathode ray tubes before other technologies replaced this kind of construction. You might not need or want to mind your TV for gold, but you do need to be aware that your old TV does contain a lot of metal materials that can be hard to dispose of correctly, whether or not they do have value. Be sure that you are using the right process to dispose of your TV so that you do not damage the environment.
This article was last updated on January 18, 2023 .
