Win $5,000 For Your E-Cycling Idea

Over the next decade, more than one billion pounds of outdated CRT televisions are expected to enter the recycling stream in the U.S. alone, according to CEA. Photo: Flickr/view from 5'2"

Have a bright idea about how to recycle and reuse cathode ray tube (CRT) glass from old televisions? If your eco ingenuity trumps your peers’, you could be $5,000 richer.

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have announced the start of “The Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Challenge: New Uses for Recycled Glass” – a contest that aims to develop a compelling solution to the CRT problem.

As consumers phase out their old CRTs in favor of liquid crystal and plasma displays, the electronics industry is faced with a disposal dilemma. The market for CRT glass has virtually disappeared, and these heavy glass bits also contain lead – making them unsuitable for standard glass-to-glass recycling.

With more than one billion pounds of CRT TVs expected to enter the U.S. recycling stream over the next decade, the industry is thirsty for new reuse ideas, CEA officials said.

Through Dec. 14, CEA is accepting recycling and reuse ideas for CRT glass and awarding a $5,000 grand prize for the most inventive solution. Up to four additional ideas are eligible for awards of $1,000 or more.

“The consumer electronics industry is committed to the mission of eCycling, and this challenge has the potential for electronics recycling to take a giant step forward,” said Walter Alcorn, vice president of environmental affairs and industry sustainability at CEA. “We’re very excited about this challenge and the innovative solutions it could yield.”

Submissions will be assessed for economic, environmental and health benefits, and CEA will broadly publicize and share winning solutions with manufacturers, retailers and recyclers, the organization said. So, get to brainstorming, and give the electronics industry (and your bank account) a boost of green!