TV manufacturer Panasonic has called for an industry-funded scheme to recycle old television sets, which they say will have a negative impact on the environment.

Panasonic believes up to two million television sets will end up in landfills by the end of 2008, causing substantial damage to the environment. Along with industry group Product Stewardship Australia, Panaonic has tried to set up a meeting with the Environmental Protection and Heritage Council in order to get a national plan in place, but it appears the Federal agency is stonewalling the clean-up initiative.

Panasonic's Australian Managing Director Steve Rust is adamant the clean-up needs to start now. "The more [it] is delayed, the more dire the consequences for the Australian environment," he said.

E-waste is going to be an ongoing problem as more computers and televisions either reach the end of their working life or become obsolete and are exchanged for upgraded versions

"The more a national initiative is delayed, the more dire the consequences for the Australian environment," said Rust.

Nobody from the Federal Environmental Protection and Heritage Council was available for comment.