Recycling may help reduce cost of new TVs
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 - 10:32:19
The popularity of electronics recycling is not just based on the environmental benefits that it offers, but also the fact that companies and consumers alike can make cash from unwanted items. This is something that not only affects the mobile phone industry, but is beginning to spread to other parts of the market.
This week, the Telegraph reports that a new recycling initiative has been established to help make new TVs more affordable, by giving consumers discounts when they upgrade to a fresh display. Fifty retailers and manufacturers, including big names like Samsung and Argos, have committed to the scheme, which could see old TVs traded in, so that people can upgrade to a more recent release.
Overseers of the initiative point out that old TVs are still worth hundreds of pounds a few years after they are first sold. This means that there is plenty of value for companies to recoup from existing sets when someone chooses to buy a replacement.
Sustainability campaigners at lobby group, Wrap, have estimated that a billion pounds worth of unwanted electronics are sitting in homes across the UK. The recycling drive is all about unlocking this cash and putting it to work to stimulate the market in the future.
Of course, retailers have an interest in speeding up the rate at which people upgrade their TVs. Achieving a similar model to the mobile market would mean that a new screen will be bought every two years, rather than every five to ten, as it is for most households at the moment.
The consumer side of the equation is partially positive because it means discounts of up to 25 per cent can be achieved on new TVs. But manufacturers will still need to integrate features that make an upgrade worthwhile.
Latest News
Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - 10:32:41
Every industry around the world has been impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and recycling has been especially affected as a result of force [...]
Read More
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - 21:33:36
Apple has pulled back the curtains on the all-new iPhone SE, bringing with it a raft of eco-friendly design features which aim to improve the green cr [...]
Read More
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 - 21:32:00
Researchers from New Zealand have demonstrated a new recycling solution which could help companies to reclaim rare materials from smartphones, PCs and [...]
Read More