The display industry in a green world

Since the late 1990s, the display industry, and the electronics sector in general, has been subject to a constant stream of new legislation aimed at reducing its environmental impact and greening its products. This green technology revolution began in the Far East and the European Union, but now there is unlikely to be a manufacturer anywhere in the world who is not affected. Its results have been overwhelmingly positive, serving not only to regulate the use of hazardous substances and the recycling and disposal of waste devices but also as a driver for innovation as companies capitalize on the exposure afforded by new green products. This chapter gives an overview of the greening of the industry, examines the most significant policies that have influenced it, highlights some of the key breakthroughs in eco-design, and suggests which technologies will be at the forefront over the coming years. It will also look at why the greening of the sector is so important, both from the point of view of the industry and from those seeking to reduce its environmental and human health impacts, and finally the potentially significant role of displays in influencing a much wider shift toward a greener world.