On February 17, 2009, television stations will stop sending out analog TV signals in the United States, resulting in what the Electronic Takeback Coalition calls an E-waste Tsunami.
Once the changeover occurs, people who receive ‘over the air’ TV signals (as opposed to cable or satellite subscribers) must have a TV capable of receiving digital signals or their TVs will no longer work.
The Electronic Takeback Coalition fears this may result in many older TVs being incorrectly disposed of due to a lack of electronics’ recycling or takeback infrastructure. Currently, about 85% of the old electronics disposed of in the US end up in landfills each year.
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) predicts that in 2008, Americans will buy 32 million more digital TVs. More than 50% of US households now own a digital television, this percentage is only expected to increase when the digital switchover takes place.
Unfortunately, TVs contain toxic materials, like lead, cadmium and beryllium, none of which belong in the landfill. The old CRT TVs contain an average of 4 to 8 pounds of lead.
The Electronic Takeback Coalition reports that TV manufacturing companies have been slow to embrace the concept of ‘producer takeback’. In fact, they have opposed it.
The Electronic Takeback Coalition have devised a grading system to show which TV manufacturers offer takeback programs. Funai, Hitachi, JVC, Mitsubishi, Philips, Thomson, Vizio, Target and Sanyo have no voluntary take back programs and received an F grade on their recycling polices. No companies received top marks.
The Electronic Takeback Coalition advocates for consumers to take some responsibility for their electronics’ purchases by sourcing a recycling program, contacting their TV manufacturers and encouraging a takeback program, and choosing TVs from companies that have a recycling infrastructure in place.
Visit: http://www.takebackmytv.com/
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