Rajive Dhingra

Life-cycle environmental impacts of CRT and LCD desktop monitors

The US Environmental Protection Agencys Design for the Environment Program is conducting an industry-wide environmental life-cycle assessment of cathode ray tube (CRT) and liquid crystal display (LCD) computer monitors. Preliminary results are presented for 16 environmental impact categories that show the relative difference in life-cycle impacts for the CRT and LCD. Considering the entire life cycle of each monitor, global warming and water eutrophication impacts were greater for the LCD while all other impact categories (e.g., resource use, energy, ozone depletion, landfill space use, etc.) were greater for the CRT. Energy inputs for CRT glass manufacturing data, for which there was relatively low confidence in the data, drive many of the CRT impacts. When comparing the manufacturing stages of each monitor type, the LCD has more relative burdens on the environment than does the CRT. Using these study results can allow industry to begin focusing on where environmental improvements can be made.

Life Cycle Assessment of Nanomaterials

Nanotechnology has wide range of applications. This paper emphasizes the need to conduct “life cycle”-based assessments as early in the new product development process as possible, for a better understanding of the potential environmental and human health consequences of nanomaterials over the entire life cycle of a nano-enabled product. This is further supported through an illustrative case study on automotive exterior body panels, which shows that the perceived environmental benefits of nano-based products in the Use stage may not adequately represent the complete picture, without examining the impacts in the other life cycle stages, particularly Materials Processing and Manufacturing. Nanomanufacturing methods often have associated environmental and human health impacts, which must be kept in perspective when evaluating nanoproducts for their “greenness.” Incorporating life cycle thinking for making informed decisions at the product design stage, combining life cycle and risk analysis, using sustainable manufacturing practices, and employing green chemistry alternatives are seen as possible solutions.