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December 4, 2007
As part of its mid-term Group environmental targets, Sony is engaged in various efforts to enhance resource conservation, for example by improving the Group's reused/recycled materials utilization rate1. In order to further accelerate the measures being carried out within each business group, as of March this year Sony initiated "Earth Project", a cross-functional, Group-wide system was designed.
In terms of specific measures, Sony is developing recovery routes and applying its recycling technologies to enable the effective utilization of reusable/recyclable materials2 used by Sony Group companies, such as product parts and packaging, as well as waste materials from external sources.
Recycled/reused materials and material waste acquired from outside the Sony Group are also subject to Sony's existing "Green Partner Environmental Quality Approval Program", ensuring that Sony is able to regulate the substances used in the materials it acquires from external sources. It is generally considered difficult to secure the requisite quantity and quality of recycled/reused materials such as recycled paper and plastics. However, through these activities Sony is aiming to establish a framework for ensuring a steady supply of high quality yet competitively priced recycled/reused materials, while maintaining strict control of quality standards.
Sony first began its use of recycled plastics in the early 1990s, and in fiscal 2006 used an industry-high3 16,000 tons of recycled plastics (mainly recycled polystyrene). This contributed a CO2 reduction of 18,000 tons. Sony's target is to double its use of recycled polystyrene by fiscal 2010 (relative to fiscal 2006), further increasing its reused/recycled materials utilization ratio.
Sony has also implemented a proprietary flame-retardant additive which delivers improved heat and impact resistance compared to conventional substances, as well as a reduced margin of fluctuation. Adding this substance to recycled polycarbonate enables it to be used in products requiring advanced heat resistance or precise finishing. The optical block for "BRAVIA" rear-projection TVs is one such example.
Effective November 1st Sony established a "Resource Conservation Office" within its Procurement Center, the entity which oversees material procurement for the overall Sony Group. Its aim is to further accelerate and expand Sony's "Earth Project" initiatives. The Resource Conservation Office will focus on the development of Sony's resource conservation system, while maintaining uniformity across Sony's global resource procurement operations.
