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220-1102 Practice Question: A small business wants to reduce its…
A small business wants to reduce its environmental footprint by properly managing old computer equipment. They ask which components must be handled separately due to hazardous materials. What should you identify?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between CRT and LCD monitors, trapping candidates who assume all monitors are equally hazardous, when in fact CRTs are uniquely regulated due to lead content while LCDs are generally treated as standard e-waste unless mercury backlights are present.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
CRT monitors
CRT monitors contain leaded glass in the cathode ray tube and significant amounts of lead in the solder and phosphor coating, making them hazardous electronic waste that must be handled separately under regulations like the EPA's RCRA and the EU's WEEE Directive. Unlike LCDs, which may contain mercury in backlights but are often managed differently, CRTs require specialized recycling to prevent lead leaching into groundwater.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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LCD monitors
Why it's wrong here
LCD monitors, while generally less hazardous than CRTs, still contain materials like mercury (in older CCFL backlights) or lead (in solder) that warrant proper recycling. However, they do not typically contain the large quantities of acutely toxic heavy metals or leaded glass that necessitate the highly specialized handling and immediate environmental mitigation required for CRT monitors to prevent severe contamination. Modern LED-backlit LCDs further reduce some of these specific concerns.
- ✓
CRT monitors
Why this is correct
CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors are a primary concern for environmental footprint reduction due to their significant content of hazardous materials. The glass in the CRT funnel and neck contains a substantial amount of lead, often several pounds per unit, which is highly toxic and can leach into soil and groundwater if improperly disposed of in landfills. Additionally, CRTs may contain cadmium, mercury, and phosphors, all of which necessitate specialized recycling processes to safely extract and neutralize these substances, preventing severe environmental contamination.
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Keyboard and mouse
Why it's wrong here
Keyboards and mice are generally considered low-hazard electronic waste. While they contain various plastics, metals, and circuit boards, they typically lack the highly toxic heavy metals or large quantities of leaded glass found in CRTs that demand specific, immediate environmental mitigation. They are suitable for standard e-waste recycling programs, which focus on material recovery rather than extensive hazardous material neutralization, making them a lesser priority for specialized handling to reduce an environmental footprint compared to CRTs.
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Ethernet cables
Why it's wrong here
Ethernet cables primarily consist of copper conductors and PVC or LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) jacketing. While copper is a valuable recyclable material, and PVC can pose environmental concerns during incineration, these cables do not contain the acutely hazardous heavy metals or toxic compounds, such as lead or mercury, that necessitate specialized handling to prevent immediate environmental contamination. Their disposal typically involves general metal recycling or standard e-waste streams, not the stringent protocols required for highly toxic components like those in CRTs.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.