Q Disposing of old TVs has become a problem because of pollution. I never thought about that when I bought my first TV 12 years ago. Now, I'm wondering about my new flat-screen LCD TV. Will it be a disposal problem in the future? What about plasma TVs?
A It appears that disposal of television sets will continue to be a problem. Some of the same materials that make picture-tube TVs a problem today -- mercury, lead and flame-retardant chemicals -- are also found in flat-panel TVs and computer screens, according to a report from Washington State released last year.
The dominant technology for flat-panel screens is LCD (liquid crystal display), which is lit with bulbs containing mercury. The industry is searching but so far hasn't found a less toxic light, according to the report.
There's also a question about the toxicity of the liquid crystals themselves. Liquid crystals are organic compounds with the properties of crystals but that can behave like fluids. While manufacturer tests show that liquid crystals are not acutely toxic or an environmental hazard, more research on long-term effects needs to be done.
The other popular technology, plasma, does not contain mercury. Plasma uses phosphors, a common substance in nature, found in the Northern Lights, for example. But plasma TVs can contain other potentially hazardous materials. Indeed, potentially hazardous materials are found in both LCD and plasma TVs, according to the report. They include: lead, cadmium, chromium, antimony, beryllium and brominated flame retardants.
The report said that while relatively few flat-screen sets have entered the waste stream, they represent a potentially large volume of material that will someday need to be re-used, recycled or discarded. In addition, some of them contain substances in greater quantities than in older TVs or are unique to flat-panels. But the infrastructure for handling electronic waste in a comprehensive way is not yet in place. As you pointed out, we are having trouble handling today's unwanted TV sets.
Pollution experts say that many new TVs are being manufactured like old TVs. Driving the design and engineering is the desire to assemble them in the fastest and most economical way, with materials that give the best outcome. Little or no thought is given -- by the industry, consumers or government -- to what happens when it comes time to dispose of the TV.
But that could be changing. Governments are starting to regulate electronics disposal. Minnesota, for example, passed a law last year requiring manufacturers to help pay for recycling electronics. Under the law, manufacturers must register and pay a fee if they want to sell merchandise with electronic screens in the state. And they must pay for the recycling of 60 percent by weight of what they sell this year; 80 percent next year. The state hopes that if manufacturers are held responsible for their waste, they'll keep "end of life" in mind and design TVs that are safer for the environment and easier to recycle.
