Three Companies Achieve Breakthrough in CRT Recycling
As concern and interest in recycling electronic products rise, Panasonic, Techneglas, and Envirocycle are collaborating to provide a model for the recycling of cathode ray tubes in televisions and computer monitors, and to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of using recycled glass in producing new CRTs.
As concern and interest in recycling electronic products rise, Panasonic, Techneglas, and Envirocycle are collaborating to provide a model for the recycling of cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in televisions and computer monitors, and to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of using recycled glass in producing new CRTs.
For several years, Panasonic, best known for its consumer electronic products, Techneglas, a leading CRT glass manufacturer and Envirocycle, heralded for its national recycling programs, have worked together to develop processes for recycling of CRTs from discarded televisions and computer monitors. The glass recovered in this effort is then used to produce Panasonic TV tube funnels composed of 10% post-consumer recycled glass--the highest percentage of recycled glass ever used in new television tubes, and the highest proportion that is practical with today's technology.
This breakthrough offers a model to help governments and manufacturers address environmental concerns about disposal of discarded televisions and computer monitors whose CRTs contain lead and other hazardous materials. Panasonic, Techneglas and Envirocycle have created an unprecedented system for collecting and re-using all the glass in reclaimed CRTs and manufacturing them into new Panasonic television CRTs.
"Quality concerns have long made the industry hesitant of using large amounts of post-consumer glass. Techneglas was willing to take a risk into unknown territory and introduce a large percentage of this glass into its process," says Steve Wood, Manager of Environmental Affairs of Techneglas. "The three companies have shown for the first time that it is possible to safely recycle and reuse a high percentage of post-consumer TV tube and computer monitor glass to create new CRTs."
The recycling process begins with collection events sponsored by Panasonic, Envirocycle and others in several states--over forty collection events are planned for the 2002 calendar year. With the discarded televisions reclaimed, Panasonic underwrites Envirocycle costs to safely remove and separate the parts and then Techneglas purchases the glass processed by Envirocycle. From there, Techneglas incorporates the reclaimed CRT glass into major new CRT glasscomponents using a process developed by Techneglas. These components, the large funnel glass of the TV tube, are manufactured into finished CRTs, composed of up to 10% of post-consumer recycled glass, at Panasonic's Ohio TV picture tube plant.
"Panasonic is committed to conserving society's resources and reducing any potential threat posed by lead in discarded television tubes," says David Thompson, Panasonic's General Manager, Corporate Environmental Department. "For the first time, the television and computer monitor production industry has been given the technology to fully reuse materials which may have a potentially negative environmental impact. We are hopeful other manufacturers will join in support for this product stewardship model, and invite their collaboration on recycling projects."
"We have worked for many years to reach this point," says Greg Voorhees, Vice President of Envirocycle. "Panasonic, Techneglas and Envirocycle have developed a model for the electronics manufacturing industry in the efficient use of resources and environmental protection."
For several years, Panasonic, best known for its consumer electronic products, Techneglas, a leading CRT glass manufacturer and Envirocycle, heralded for its national recycling programs, have worked together to develop processes for recycling of CRTs from discarded televisions and computer monitors. The glass recovered in this effort is then used to produce Panasonic TV tube funnels composed of 10% post-consumer recycled glass--the highest percentage of recycled glass ever used in new television tubes, and the highest proportion that is practical with today's technology.
This breakthrough offers a model to help governments and manufacturers address environmental concerns about disposal of discarded televisions and computer monitors whose CRTs contain lead and other hazardous materials. Panasonic, Techneglas and Envirocycle have created an unprecedented system for collecting and re-using all the glass in reclaimed CRTs and manufacturing them into new Panasonic television CRTs.
"Quality concerns have long made the industry hesitant of using large amounts of post-consumer glass. Techneglas was willing to take a risk into unknown territory and introduce a large percentage of this glass into its process," says Steve Wood, Manager of Environmental Affairs of Techneglas. "The three companies have shown for the first time that it is possible to safely recycle and reuse a high percentage of post-consumer TV tube and computer monitor glass to create new CRTs."
The recycling process begins with collection events sponsored by Panasonic, Envirocycle and others in several states--over forty collection events are planned for the 2002 calendar year. With the discarded televisions reclaimed, Panasonic underwrites Envirocycle costs to safely remove and separate the parts and then Techneglas purchases the glass processed by Envirocycle. From there, Techneglas incorporates the reclaimed CRT glass into major new CRT glasscomponents using a process developed by Techneglas. These components, the large funnel glass of the TV tube, are manufactured into finished CRTs, composed of up to 10% of post-consumer recycled glass, at Panasonic's Ohio TV picture tube plant.
"Panasonic is committed to conserving society's resources and reducing any potential threat posed by lead in discarded television tubes," says David Thompson, Panasonic's General Manager, Corporate Environmental Department. "For the first time, the television and computer monitor production industry has been given the technology to fully reuse materials which may have a potentially negative environmental impact. We are hopeful other manufacturers will join in support for this product stewardship model, and invite their collaboration on recycling projects."
"We have worked for many years to reach this point," says Greg Voorhees, Vice President of Envirocycle. "Panasonic, Techneglas and Envirocycle have developed a model for the electronics manufacturing industry in the efficient use of resources and environmental protection."
