| Environmental Priorities
Emerging in the Far East
Electronics Industry
Source: www.waste-management-world.com - Wednesday, March 5, 2008 |
| The Far East has been a focal point for the global electronics industry
for some time. Now momentum is building for sound environmental
practice within this industry, integrating technologies and principles
from the waste sector. During the past three months, new initiatives
have been announced by Panasonic, Fuji Xerox and the Hitachi Group,
including both new technologies for materials recovery coupled with
broader environmental policies. Panasonic, working in partnership with Kusatsu Electric Co. Ltd., has developed a technology to recover metals from plastic-coated wires and other plastics used in electric and electronic equipment. Based on a gasification process, the technology converts the plastics into gases, enabling the operator to separate off the metals. The company is employing this technology at the Matsushita Eco Technology Center to recover copper from coils covered with vinyl chloride tape found in television monitors. The company announced this technology at the end of last month.  The Far East has been a focal point for the global electronics industry for some time. Now momentum is building for sound environmental practice within this industry, integrating technologies and principles from the waste sector. In mid-January Fuji Xerox Co. established an 'integrated recycling system' to recycle used products including copy machines, printers and cartridges from across China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan). Products will be disassembled and separated at its new plant into 64 categories of material. NB: the collection and recycling of used products in Hong Kong and Macao are covered by Fuji Xerox's Asia-Pacific integrated recycling system based in Thailand. And, just before Christmas, the Hitachi Group published its long-term plan called Environmental Vision 2025. Two factors spurred the formulation of this plan. One was recognizing the importance of halving greenhouse gas emissions worldwide by 2050. And, in addition, the Group sought to devise a concrete plan of action running through to the midpoint of this target period, fiscal 2025, whilst at the same time strengthening environmental initiatives on a Group-wide level. Reflecting this drive, in December the Group established the post of Hitachi Group CEnO (Chief Environmental Strategy Officer). |