Product roadmaps: Televisions

As part of our work on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP), we are developing ten product roadmaps to reduce the environmental impacts across the life cycle of a range of priority products, including TVs.

Why TVs?

In line with current evidence and EU Product Policy, Energy-using Products (EuP) are a priority product category. EuPs are a category of non-transport related products, which are significant energy users and sold in high volumes. Examples include:

  • heating and lighting
  • electric motors
  • domestic and office appliances
  • consumer electronics
  • air conditioners
  • TVs

TVs can generate significant environmental impacts across their life cycle, particularly energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions during the ‘in use’ phase and generation of waste at ‘end of life’. Through the roadmap process we will gather evidence on other potential significant impacts occurring across the life cycle of TVs.


Scope of the roadmap

The TVs roadmap currently focuses on Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), Liquid crystal Display (LCD), Plasma Display Panel (PDP) and other emerging TV technologies. This includes all components used in the manufacture of TVs.

Improving sustainability

We will develop actions to address the sustainability impacts that occur across TVs life cycle, where evidence shows this would be most effective.

In developing the TVs roadmap, we are keen to work collaboratively with a broad range of stakeholders. We would welcome bi-lateral discussions with stakeholders interested in the roadmap approach.

Current activities

A report detailing the current status of the roadmap has been prepared to coincide with the publication of the Progress Report on Sustainable Products and Materials.

Impacts

'in use'

'end-of-life'
  • 11.8 TWh consumed in 2006
  • 6.4 MtCO2 emitted in 2006
  • If no action is taken, these figures are likely to rise by 60% by 2012
  • expected that more than 22 million TVs will be discarded between 2006-2010.

Consumption trends

  • in 2006, there were more than 63 million TVs in UK households
  • more than 9 million TV sets are sold in the UK each year
  • during the last two years LCD and PDP TVs have significantly outsold CRT sets1


Further information

 

1 Source: Market Transformation Programme

 

Page last modified: 16 October 2009
Page published: 10 July 2008