Resource Recycling

Minimizing and Recycling Business Activity-Linked Waste

Curbing the Amount of Waste, etc. Generated

Sharp has been working to reduce waste and to recycle as much of it as possible in an effort to contribute to building a circular economy.

In fiscal 2023, the amount of waste, etc. generated by Sharp increased by 11% compared to the previous fiscal year to 95,000 tons, due to disposal of old equipment and expansion of production. The amount of recycling was 61,000 tons. Meanwhile, the final landfill disposal rate was 0.46%—low enough to achieve our second year in a row of zero discharge to landfill* on a global scale.

Sharp will continue to strengthen waste-reduction efforts at overseas bases while maintaining global zero discharge to landfill.

Appropriate Storage and Management of PCB Wastes

In Japan, Sharp properly stores and manages waste PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) in accordance with the Act on Special Measures Concerning Promotion of Proper Treatment of PCB Wastes. Sharp has completed processing of all high-concentration waste PCB in fiscal 2022. As for the remaining low-concentration waste PCB, Sharp is on track to finish processing them at the earliest date possible.

• Sharp defines “zero discharge to landfill” as a final landfill disposal rate of less than 0.5%.
  Final landfill disposal rate (%) = Amount of landfill disposal ÷ amount of waste, etc. generated × 100.

Amount of Waste, etc.

Amount of Recycling

Waste, etc. by Region (Fiscal 2023)

Final Landfill Disposal Rate

Expanding the Recycling of Used Products

Sharp’s Stance on Recycling Used Products

Sharp collects and recycles used products in compliance with the recycling laws and regulations of the respective country or region. Through the effective use of limited resources, Sharp is contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.

Japan
Recycling 4 Kinds of Home Appliances (Air Conditioners, TVs, Refrigerators, and Washing Machines)

As a member of the B Group*1 for home appliance recycling, Sharp has constructed—and is operating—a highly efficient recycling system consisting of 18 recycling plants in Japan. In fiscal 2023, Sharp collected 2.26 million units (down 1% over the previous fiscal year) of the four types of appliances covered by the Home Appliance Recycling Act. The processed and recycled weight amounted to approximately 65,000 tons (down 5% over the previous fiscal year). For all four appliance types, Sharp’s rate of recycling exceeded the legally stipulated levels.

• The B Group consists of Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, Hitachi Global Life Solutions, Inc., Fujitsu General Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, and other companies.

Toward Making Better Use of Resources

Sharp and Kansai Recycling Systems Co., Ltd.*2 have joined forces to make effective use of resources and to improve recycling efficiency.

Air conditioner indoor units with automatic filter cleaning have a more complex internal structure than models without this function and require experienced workers to dismantle them manually using the cell method*3. To deal with a shortage of these skilled workers, in fiscal 2023, Kansai Recycling Systems introduced a cutting device specifically for air conditioner indoor units. Cutting the indoor unit before dismantling makes it easier to remove the internal parts, allowing even unskilled workers to dismantle it efficiently and reducing the average dismantling time by around 30% per unit.

• A consumer electronics recycling company established in Japan with joint investment from Sharp, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, and four other companies.
• A method in which one worker performs a series of tasks rather than dividing up the work.

Recycling Used Products and Communicating with Local Communities

In accordance with the Home Appliance Recycling Act, Kansai Recycling Systems Co., Ltd. recycles four types of used home appliances (air conditioners, TVs, refrigerators, washing machines) in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture and Iga, Mie Prefecture. In September 2023, the cumulative total of appliances recycled since the start of operations in April 2001 was 20 million units*1. As a way of giving back to the community that has supported the company, and in the hope that the recycling of four familiar home appliances will encourage people to think more about the global environment, their own future, and the SDGs, Kansai Recycling Systems donated two picture books, Up Close! Factory Tour: TVs and Up Close! Factory Tour: Washing Machines (Plastic)*2 to local elementary schools. In addition, restrictions imposed by the pandemic have been lifted for factory tours, and in fiscal 2023 the company welcomed a total of 1,242 visitors from Japan and overseas, bringing the cumulative visitor total to more than 30,000 people. Kansai Recycling Systems also participated in off-site lectures and local events*3, including a washing machine dismantling show.

• Number of home appliance recycling B Group manufacturer units
• Introduces recycling at Kansai Recycling Systems (published by Iwasaki Publishing Co., Ltd.)
• A washing machine dismantling show was held at the Mottainai Bazaar (Suita City, November 19, 2023) and Hirakata Eco Forum 2024 (February 10, 2024).

Design-for-Recycling Training

Sharp is committed to considering the whole life cycle of products it manufactures. Together with Kansai Recycling Systems—where four kinds of Sharp products are recycled—Sharp has been holding design-for-recycling training for product planners and designers. In April 2024, 13 people, including those in charge of white goods, took part in the training.

The training emphasized the importance of designing products with an eye to their eventual recycling, with a focus on plastic material recycling. It also included a tour of the recycling plant. Participants practiced dismantling a fully automatic washing machine that had been used for over a decade. They saw how the ease of dismantling depends on the fastening method used—for example, whether the product is held together with screws. They also learned the importance of separating components into discrete material types.

Participants gained a better understanding of the recycling process, and expressed a desire to focus on achieving both quality and recyclability in their future designs. We will continue to foster awareness within the company so that we can pursue manufacturing that considers everything from material selection to end-of-life recycling.

Reusing and Recycling Copiers and MFPs in Japan

Sharp is reusing and recycling copiers and MFPs collected both through Sharp distribution channels and through common industry channels. The company is also collecting used toner cartridges and remanufacturing them to the same quality standard of new products, thus assuring that customers will always get the same high quality. Sharp designs its toner cartridges for easy reuse and recycling. This ensures durability and reduces the amount of time needed to reprocess used cartridges.

North America

In 2007, Sharp’s American manufacturing and sales base SEC established MRM (Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company, LLC)*1 to manage recycling of AV products. Growing nationwide efforts have seen a total of 2,400 collection points established for used products. MRM operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of each state and recycled a total of 53,000 tons of used products in fiscal 2023.

In addition, since 2008, as part of its efforts to protect the environment and reduce landfill waste, SEC has been working with recycling companies to recycle all Sharp consumables, including toner cartridges, bottles, toner collection containers, and drum units. SEC encourages recycling by covering the materials and costs required to return used products.

• MRM is a joint venture with Panasonic Corporation of North America and Toshiba America Consumer Electronics, LLC.

Europe

The EU WEEE Directive*2 (2012/19/EU) stipulates that the manufacturer is responsible for collecting and recycling products shipped within the EU. Each Sharp European sales base (Germany, France, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, Austria) collaborates with reputable recycling entities in the EU sales region to meet this requirement. Efforts are also made to reduce the volume of landfill waste by taking into account regulations governing packaging materials and batteries.

• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.

India

In India, the E-Waste (Management) Rules—which came into effect in 2016 and were amended in 2022—require manufacturers and others to properly dispose of used electronic/electrical equipment. SBI, Sharp’s Indian sales base, has partnered with a local recycler, 3R Recycler, to carry out the recycling of used products.

The Plastic Waste Management Rules, which also came into effect in 2016, require manufacturers, importers, sellers, and regional governments to properly process plastic waste. SBI works with a local NGO, the Indian Pollution Control Association, to collect and recycle plastic waste.

Environmental Technologies That Contribute to a Sustainable, Recycling-Based Society

Expanding the Use of Recycled Plastics

In recycling materials, such as when end-of-life plastic is reused to make new products, the open-loop material recycling scheme is commonly adopted. It involves reusing recycled materials to make things like daily necessities and sundries. The majority of these are used only once and disposed of as municipal waste.

As opposed to this type of recycling, Sharp and Kansai Recycling Systems Co., Ltd.*1 jointly developed closed-loop plastic material recycling technology with a view to making better use of finite resources and reducing waste. This technology enables the repeated recovery of plastic from used consumer electronics products as well as the reuse of that plastic in parts of new consumer electronics products. The technology has been in practical use since fiscal 2001, when the Act on Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances (Home Appliance Recycling Act) was enacted in Japan.

Sharp has been striving to make more plastic recyclable through the development of new technologies. These include a technology for recovering high-purity polypropylene (PP) from mixed plastic parts and parts that contain metal; a technology for improving the properties of recovered PP, HIPS*2, and PC+ABS*3 materials so that their quality is on a par with that of virgin materials; a technology that gives materials added value by imparting properties such as flame retardancy, weather resistance, and an antibacterial property, with the aim of expanding applications for recycled plastic; and a quality-control technology for ensuring optimal quality. Thanks to the development and introduction of these technologies that integrate everything from recovery to quality control, Sharp has been able to establish closed-loop material recycling to produce high-grade recycled plastic.

• A consumer electronics recycling company established in Japan with joint investment from Sharp, Mitsubishi Materials Corporation, and four other companies.
• High-impact polystyrene (general-purpose polystyrene [GPPS] given impact resistance by adding rubber).
• A polymer alloy of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene (a resin given new properties as a result of mixing in several types of polymers).

Recycling Plastic Recovered from the 4 Types of Home Appliances

• Blending multiple types of resins uniformly and finely dispersed into one another at the molecular level.
• A resin given new properties as a result of mixing in several types of resins.

Expanding the Use of Recycled Plastics

In response to the increasing seriousness of environmental pollution from used plastic, countries are enacting and enhancing various laws and regulations related to plastic recycling. There is a push to move away from the traditional linear economy, characterized by mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal, and towards a circular economy, characterized by limited input and consumption of new resources and minimal waste production. In Japan, as well, society’s attitude towards plastic usage has changed significantly, as evidenced by the enforcement of the Plastic Resource Circulation Act*. The Act focuses on resource recycling across the entire life cycle of plastic products, making it increasingly important that plastic materials are properly disposed of and recycled.

Against this background, Sharp is pursuing greater recycling of used plastics, not only through horizontal recycling, in which used plastics are made as good as new material and incorporated into the same parts as they were originally used, but also through upgrade recycling, in which the recycled plastic is given added value with flame retardancy, weather resistance, or high stiffness.

In fiscal 2023, Sharp developed colored recycled polypropylene and used the material in the external parts of stick vacuum cleaners. Polypropylene recovered from used home appliances is given the physical properties and long-term durability demanded in home appliances using Sharp’s own formulation technology.

One of the challenges in using recycled plastics is color variation. The used plastics that become raw materials contain a mix of different colors; thus, if recycled as-is, they would turn gray and their uses would be limited. As a countermeasure, coloring the material with a darker color would reduce color variation, but there is a trade-off in that adding pigments would reduce physical properties and durability. By optimizing the formulation it has developed, Sharp has made it possible to mass produce recycled plastics that maintain their physical properties and durability while also ensuring aesthetic qualities. And by using recycled plastics for exterior parts, we can expect further reductions in plastic waste.

As a further initiative for the future, Sharp will advance the development of recycled plastics, such as PS and ABS, which can also be used for exterior parts, and will accelerate their use into products.

• This law is focused on comprehensive plastic recycling across the entire life cycle of plastic-containing products, encompassing everything from manufacturer product design and production to waste disposal (effective as of April 1, 2022).

Used Plastic Recycling Method

Examples of Colored Recycled Polypropylene Use

Establishing a Circular Economy

The use of recycled plastic developed through Sharp’s own closed-loop material recycling technology was extended to refrigerators, air conditioners, washing machines, and small appliances released in fiscal 2023. In fiscal 2023, the cumulative total amount used since 2001 reached 21,000 tons.

Moving forward, Sharp aims to expand closed-loop material recycling to all of its products, not just these four home appliances, to contribute to the realization of a circular economy.

Establishing a Circular Economy

Used Plastic Recycling Method

Effectively Using Water Resources

Sharp’s Stance on Water Resources

Water resource problems are arising on a worldwide scale with the increase in the world’s population, the economic growth of developing countries, climate change, and other factors. Sharp is striving to make effective use of water resources in line with the environmental conservation guidelines stipulated in Sharp’s Basic Environmental Philosophy, the Sharp Group Charter of Corporate Behavior, and the Sharp Code of Conduct. In particular, Sharp recognizes that securing the water resources necessary for the production of LCDs and other electronic devices is a serious issue that could affect business continuity. That is why Sharp is pursuing the reduced use of new water and an increased use of recycled water.

Reducing the Amount of New Water Used and Using More Recycled Water

The volume of new water used by Sharp in fiscal 2023 decreased by 9% compared to the previous fiscal year to 9.2 million m³. The improvement rate of water intensity was 6%. To minimize the effects on business continuity of the risk of water shortages, Sharp assesses water risk at its plants using the Aqueduct assessment tool developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI). SATL, Sharp’s production base in Thailand, is located in an area of highest risk. It is therefore reducing its use of new water by recycling water discharged from the production process and other sources.

The Kameyama Plant (Kameyama, Mie Prefecture, Japan) and the Mie Plant (Taki District, Mie Prefecture, Japan) require a large amount of water in the production process for LCDs and other products. All of the water discharged from the production process is collected and reused via a closed-loop recycling system adopted at both plants. Through measures such as this, Sharp is maintaining a recycling rate* of at least 60%. Looking ahead, Sharp will pursue further water-use efficiency worldwide and boost production efficiency in accordance with business expansion. In fiscal 2023, there were no litigation issues, fines, or penalties due to violations of water-related laws and regulations. There were also no serious water-related accidents.

• Recycling rate = Amount recycled ÷ (amount of new water + amount recycled).

Volume of New Water Used

　

Water Recycling Rate

New Water Used by Region (Fiscal 2023)

　

Water Used and Drainage by Region (Fiscal 2023)

Volume of New Water Used by Water Stress Rank*4(Fiscal 2023)

　

Volume of New Water Used in Water Stressed Regions*5(Fiscal 2023)

（m³）

Region	Third-party water	Ground- water	surfase water	Seawater	Produced water	Total
Japan	35,516	0	0	0	0	35,516
Asia	734,590	0	0	0	0	734,590
China	1,032,868	0	0	0	0	1,032,868
North and South America	0	0	0	0	0	0
Europe	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	1,802,974	0	0	0	0	1,802,974

• Surface water, seawater, and produced water was 0.
• Industrial-use water and tap water.
• Water consumption = Water withdrawal – Effluent.
• Under Aqueduct, each region is assigned a water stress score. There are five levels, from rank 1 (low risk) to rank 5 (high risk).
• Areas with an Aqueduct water stress score of rank 4 or higher.

Example

Closed-Loop Water Recycling System

The Mie Plant (Taki District, Mie Prefecture) has adopted a closed-loop water recycling system to repeatedly recycle the large amount of water used for the production of displays. The water discharged from the production process contains chemicals that must not be released from the plant untreated. All of this water is collected and goes through steps such as passing through filters and biofiltration (the natural decomposition of chemicals using microorganisms), before being purified with dedicated equipment. The resulting water is used repeatedly in production.

Closed-Loop Water Recycling Flow

Example

Reducing Water Usage at Overseas Bases

At SATL, a production base in Thailand, large volumes of water are discharged from the production process and restrooms. This water was previously released into a nearby river after being properly treated. But now SATL is using newly installed water recycling equipment to purify that water and use it in the production process. The greywater* generated by this recycling process is kept in storage tanks and used for restrooms and for watering the factory’s green areas. SMM, Sharp’s production base in Malaysia, is using rainwater tanks to reduce the amount of water it requires. Large tanks installed in the plant collect rainwater that is used in, for example, air conditioner cooling equipment and restrooms. Thanks to these efforts, SATL and SMM have been able to reduce the consumption of clean water by about 89,000 m³ per year.

• Water that is unfit for drinking but is not harmful to the human body or the environment.