The Sony Take Back Recycling Program, Part Three

For details about the program and how to take advantage of it, see the media release and blog entry at these links: http://news.sel.sony.com/en/press_room/corporate_news/release/31014.html;

http://news.sel.sony.com/electronicsblog/?p=12.

For the deeper skinny, I invite you to peruse this third and final installment of an exclusive interview with Rick Clancy, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and host of the Sony Electronics Blog for additional tidbits.

(Note: This author has not been compensated for posting this interview.)

Me: What kind of challenge does the Program put out there to other consumer electronics vendors to establish similar programs?

Rick: We would hope that other manufacturers follow our lead and join the program so that consumers can recycle other brands of electronic devices for free.

Also, we would like to see the federal government step-up with national environmental legislation embracing initiatives like the Sony Take Back Recycling Program.

One of the big problems for manufacturers today is that there is a hodgepodge of state legislation in this area that ultimately ends up adding to costs because manufacturers have to adjust to several different recycling models.

Me: With regards to the following statements, what kinds of savings are involved here? Who saves and how? "By recycling old electronics products, useful material—such as glass, plastic and metals—can be collected and re-used in the manufacture of other products.

Recycling not only minimizes the amount of waste disposed, it also minimizes the extraction of new raw materials from the earth and resources required for processing, saving energy and reducing greenhouse gases in the process."

Rick: The savings potential is huge. Hopefully, America will embrace recycling in the area of consumer electronics just as it has in basic household goods like paper products, plastics, bottles and cans.

Me: How are consumer electronics waste products then recycled back into manufacturing? What kinds of manufacturing?

Rick: The recycled components like plastic, metal and glass can be used in the production of a variety of new consumer products such as appliances and automobiles. Components can also be used in construction materials, industrial products and equipment.

I would like to thank Rick Clancy for participating in this series.