Sustainability in LCD manufacturing, recycling, and reuse

Abstract

This chapter overviews recycling and reuse measures and methods employed to tackle growing concerns associated with potentially large volumes of end-of-life (EOL) thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCDs) entering an everincreasing electronic waste stream. TFT-LCD recycling is contextualized within the remit of sustainability, electronic waste (e-waste) and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), LCD market trends, the nature and potential volumes of LCD waste, and global legislation. An update in recent LCD recycling technologies is given, and this chapter should be read in conjugation with the publication of Matharu andWu (Electronic waste management, issues in environmental science and technology, RSC Publishing, Cambridge, 2008). Active or smart disassembly or eco-design for disassembly will not be discussed.