Encompass Seeks to Minimize Environmental and Financial Impact Tied to Trend of Replacing Versus Repairing Televisions

Lawrenceville, Ga., October 4, 2016 – Encompass Supply Chain Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of 3PL and 4PL solutions for a diverse range of finished goods and replacement parts, today posted a blog from its chief executive officer raising concerns that too many televisions that could be repaired are instead ending up as e-waste.

According to some estimates, the U.S. generates around 9 million tons of e-waste per year, with a large percentage comprising televisions and their assorted components. With the expense to inventory and ship bulky LED and LCD TV flat panels, many manufacturers and extended warranty providers are opting to simply replace televisions with new units or gift cards to purchase another without attempting to fix the panels. Replacing a bad panel is also often the path of least resistance for servicers, especially inexperienced techs.

According to a new blog post by Encompass President and CEO Robert Coolidge, this is a disturbing trend that is contributing to excessive e-waste and is not always the most economical path.

“We estimate more than 150,000 TVs are replaced every year in the U.S. that could potentially have been repaired and kept out of the waste stream,” said Coolidge.  “If these estimates are correct, the industry is conservatively losing more than $50 million annually paying out the product value.”

Coolidge urges the industry to review their practices and focus on extending the life of electronics.

 “Let’s reevaluate what is truly the proper behavior to minimize replacement; boost repairs to grow company profits; improve product brand equity; fuel the service community and maintain a healthier environment. If TV replacement accounts for 15% of your repairs or more, it’s time to take a deep dive analysis into your processes.”

The full blog is posted on the Encompass corporate website: encompass.com.