New estimates on the time it takes for a flat-panel display TV to enter the U.K. waste stream have been released.
The findings, determined by WRAP, an influential waste reduction and recycling nonprofit group based in the U.K., suggest the average life span of flat-panel display televisions is about 10 years. Life-span estimates are critical in estimating when devices will begin appearing in the recycling stream.
In the WRAP study, 400 TVs were tracked from the time of purchase to their eventual entry into the stream. On average, TVs lasted for 10.4 years. WRAP also looked into laptop life spans, which were slightly lower (9.6 years).
Little research has been done in the U.S. on life spans of flat-panel TVs. WRAP, which has been closely monitoring flat panels, particularly those that contain mercury from cold cathode fluorescent lamps, has been vocal about the potential challenges the industry will face in handling them.
Original research done by E-Scrap News and presented at E-Scrap 2015 earlier this month suggests approximately 470 million flat-panel TVs and monitors containing mercury will eventually enter the U.S. e-scrap stream.
