Source: BusinessGreen

Electronics giant Fujitsu has unveiled what it claims is the PC industry’s very first system for recycling used CDs and DVDs to make the plastic bodies of notebook computers.

It says using the discs results in an annual 10 ton reduction in the amount of plastic produced and cuts CO2 emissions by around 15 per cent.

The company began the recycled plastic for part of the front panel of its LIFEBOOK P772/E notebook PC, which was released this summer, and plans to expand it to other products as part of its efforts to reduce its environmental footprint and resource consumption.

Fujitsu said it chose to use CDs and DVDs as they are made from a uniform plastic, polycarbonate, which is suitable for use in the bodies of notebook PCs and does not contain any contaminants.

It added that using the discs ensures compliance with the EU’s RoHS directive and REACH regulations regarding the safety of chemicals in ICT products, which is much more challenging to meet with mixed plastics.

The company already collects, disassembles, sorts and recycles computers and other products at five recycling centres across Japan, but found reusing the recovered plastic in computer bodies proved impossible because of contaminants and toxic chemicals in the plastic.

However, the company is now confident the system can be expanded to support a wider variety of recycled materials and plans to employ these plastics in other products.

The system is the latest initiative in Fujitsu’s drive to reduce CO2 emissions during manufacturing and cut plastic waste by using more biodegradable materials.

Earlier this year it released a “biodegradable” computer mouse and in 2011 unveiled a keyboard made entirely from renewable materials.