 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| . |  |
. |
Old TVs bad landfill reception
Baltimore (UPI) Dec 24, 2007 When U.S. broadcasters switch to digital transmissions, millions of viewers will likely discard analog televisions creating a potential environmental disaster. Television sets contain toxic substances like lead, mercury and cadmium, and when televisions are sent to landfills or shipped to other countries for dismantling, those substances are sent with them, the Baltimore Sun reported. The Consumer Electronics Association, which represents manufacturers, said the impact of the switch will be diffused, because buying a new television doesn't necessarily coincide with throwing out the old set, the newspaper said. But environmentalist groups told the Sun the waste system is clogged with old televisions from the 36 million U.S. households that have upgraded to high-definition or plasma TV. The federal government will give households vouchers to buy converters for their old televisions, which could encourage consumers to hang on to their old models. Recycling is also an option for old sets but most consumers don't use it, the Sun said. Only about 2.5 million of the more than 20 million televisions thrown away in 2005 were recycled, Environmental Protection Agency statistics indicated. A few states have required manufacturers to take some responsibility for ensuring their products are recycled. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up
Giant Magnetocaloric Materials Could Have Large Impact On The Environment
Argonne Il (SPX) Jun 20, 2007Materials that change temperature in magnetic fields could lead to new refrigeration technologies that reduce the use of greenhouse gases, thanks to new research at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and Ames National Laboratory. |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
