The life cycle assessment (LCA) of selected TV models

Television sets have become an integral part of human daily life all over the world. From the cognitive point of view, the assessment and comparison of various TV models in terms of the impact of their life cycle on the environment is thought-provoking. The aim of the study was to assess the life cycle (LCA) of selected TV sets: CRT (cathode-ray tube) and plasma (PDP - Plasma Display Panel) applying the ReCiPe and CML methods with the use of the SimaPro 8.1 software. As part of the realization of the main objective of the study, the system limitations were determined, the masses of individual elements and sub-assemblies of each TV set were identified, and the characteristics of materials from which they had been made were specified. One TV set of an average weight of 15 kg constituted the functional unit. Research results indicate that replacing cathode-ray tube TVs with newer, more economical plasma TVs was beneficial to the environment, as cathode-ray tube TVs had emitted far more harmful substances into the environment, primarily at the production (consumption of natural resources) and End of Life phase.