To　investigate　the　environmental　benefits　derived　from　recycling　lead　from　CRT　(cathode　ray　tube),　the　environmental　benefits　of　two　scrap　lead　flow　modes,　single　flow　mode　and　recycling　flow　mode,　were　evaluated　respectively　from　both　actual　and　virtual　costs　perspectives　using　the　treatment　cost　method.　The　pollution　and　ecological　destruction　could　be　divided　into　mining　and　emissions,　and　mixing　risks　of　pollutants　from　smelting.　It　was　found　that　the　actual　and　virtual　costs　for　the　single　flow　mode　of　scrap　lead　were　329.2　CNY/ton　and　1322.56　CNY/t,　respectively,　with　the　latter　being　four　times　that　of　the　former.　Moreover,　the　pollution　control　costs　for　two　typical　lead　recycling　processes　were　studied　as　well.　The　actual　and　virtual　treatment　costs　of　scrap　lead　of　pyrometallurgy　process　were　37.80　CNY/t　and　3.73　CNY/t,　respectively,　while　the　actual　and　virtual　treatment　costs　of　hydrometallurgy　process　were　135.10　CNY/t　and　15.06　CNY/t,　respectively.　Comparing　the　actual　and　virtual　costs　for　the　two　processes,　the　treatment　cost　of　pyrometallurgy　process　was　lower　than　hyrometallurgy,　with　the　former　one　having　a　better　environment　benefit.　However,　it　is　limited　by　the　constant　ratio　of　raw　materials,　since　the　percentage　of　scrap　CRT　glass　and　lead　concentrate　is　limited　to　1:4.　Compared　with　the　single　flow　mode,　the　average　actual　and　virtual　savings　of　the　two　typical　pyrometallurgy　and　hyrometallurgy　recycling　processes　were　242.75　CNY/t　and　1313.16　CNY/t,　respectively,　corresponding　to　94.2%　of　the　total　cost　of　the　single　flow　mode.　The　solid　waste　management　costs　of　mining,　the　ecological　damage　produced　by　underground　mining　and　the　water　pollution　risks　from　lead　in　the　building　materials　rank　as　the　top　three　costs,　which　account　for　47%,　19%　and　17%　of　the　total　costs　of　single　flow　mode,　respectively.　©,　2015,　Editorial　department　of　Molecular　Catalysis.　All　right　reserved.