Companies Look to Boost TV Tube Recycling

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.

For several years, Panasonic, Techneglas, and Envirocycle 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."