AUO 32-inch TV gets world's first Carbon Footprint Verification

A new era in eco consumerism?

23 September 2009 13:51 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

A Taiwanese company, AU Optronics Corp, or AUO, has announced one of its 32-inchers has become the world's first LCD TV set to get "Carbon Footprint Verification".

Claiming the move will "establish the benchmark on the carbon footprint management for consumer electronic products", it could perhaps herald a new era in eco consumerism.

Verified according to international carbon footprint standard PAS2050:2008, the TV has also been included in the UKAS PAS2050 Pilot Project by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service or UKAS.

The carbon emission calculation of AUO's 32-incher includes each stage of the product life cycle from raw material, manufacture, delivery, consumer use and then disposal, or recycling.

AUO says "through the indicator of carbon calculation, consumers will know well what the environmental impact is caused by the electronic products they use in the future".

Following this news, it will be interesting to see how long it takes before a product's "Carbon Footprint" starts to appear on packaging.