Method to assess the recyclability of televisions from the perspective of consumer organisations

In order to change their environmental product ratings the Dutch Consumer Organisation (further called D.C.O.) wanted to have available a method to assess the recyclability of televisions. TNO Industrial Technology developed such a method. Several parties have been involved in the recycling of televisions, like the industry (producers of televisions and recycling companies) and the government. Eventually the D.C.O. had the final say how the method is to be applied. The research project was set up in two phases. In the fust phase a measuring method has been developed. This has been done through discussion meetings (with all involved parties), a pilot (assessment of four televisions) and a final review. The result of the first phase was a test protocol telling how the televisions should be dismantled and what aspects should be measured. The aspects to assess recyclability can be divided in four main categories: - ease of disassembly; - information provided to the user and the recycler; - purity of fractions to be recycled; - chemical content in general. The second phase handles the actual benchmark on twenty televisions. The benchmark was also used to check the practicability of the test protocol and the checklists and forms that go with it. Several adjustments have been made, which resulted in a final test protocol. The results of the assessment are published by the D.C.O.. The method developed appears straightforward in the performance and provides a simple way to assess televisions on recyclability. The method is supported by the industry. The D.C.O. will apply it in its testing programs and will make it available to its sister organisations in Europe.