Resource Conservation in Products

Panasonic has been implementing resource conservation measures in addition to those to improve the energy conservation performance of its products. We are using our Resource Factor, which represents the resource efficiency*¹ improvement rate (as compared with fiscal 2001), to measure our contribution to ensuring the most efficient utilization of resources through our products and services. We have set Resource factor targets within our GP Accreditation criteria, and are striving to develop technologies for resource conservation while improving our product functions. For 30 major products*², we reduced the use of resources by 5,890 tons for products released in fiscal 2008 as compared with the use of resources for those released in fiscal 2007. The total mass of these 30 major products, however, amounts to as much as 403,000 tons on an annual basis (Japan only). Hence, we aim to further reduce the size and weight of our products in order to (i) reduce the amount of material use, (ii) reduce the rate of non-circulating resources over their life cycles,*³ (iii) use more recycled resources, and (iv) increase recyclable resources, thereby improving our overall resource efficiency. At the same time, we will reduce CO₂ emissions through material production.

• *1 Resource efficiency = (Product life x product function)/ non-circulating resources over the entire life cycle
• *2 plasma TVs, LCD TVs, CRT TVs, DVD recorders, SD stereo systems, fax machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, microwave ovens, IH cooking heaters, washing machines and dryers, fully-automatic washing machines, laundry dryers, rice cookers, dish washers & dryers, natural coolant (CO₂) heat pump water heaters, electric thermos pots, electric carpets, vacuum cleaners, heated toilet seats with warm water sprays, electric irons, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, ventilators, air purifiers, bathroom ventilators & dryers, range hoods, fluorescent lamps (evaluated resources only), home-use lighting equipment, and hair dryers.
• *3 Non-circulating resources over the entire life cycle: Resources extracted from the earth + amount of wasted resources = 2 x resources input throughout the life cycle - amount of recycled resources - amount of recyclable resources

For the resource conservation, it is essential to design products in a recycling-oriented manner. In order to achieve higher recycling rates* in an efficient way, in fiscal 2006 our product designers in Japan dismantled the products to identify problems associated with recycling. This activity was continued into fiscal 2007 and 146 models have been checked for their recyclability. The data and know-how thus collected on recycling technology are then incorporated into the in-house product design guidelines used by our designers. In fiscal 2008, we started to implement these measures on a global scale, including the experimental dismantling of our products in China. In the future, we will strengthen measures to reduce inefficient resource use at our manufacturing sites aiming at further resource conservation.

Panasonic Environmental Technology Solutions Co., Ltd., established by Panasonic, recovers and recycles resin from four home appliance items. Panasonic uses some of the recycled resin in its products. In fiscal 2008, we used approx. 3,000 tons of recycled resin mainly for clothes washers and refrigerators same as in fiscal 2007.

• * According to the Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances in Japan, the recycling rate is defined as follows: Recycling rate=weight of components (materials) that are separated from wasted home appliances and that can be transferred with or without charge /weight of products

Panasonic is one of the leading companies to use recycled plastics. Environmental Technology Solutions Co., Ltd., which is established by Panasonic, distributes recycled resin from four home appliance products. Panasonic uses some of the recycled resin in its products and an amount of use in fiscal 2008 was 3,000 tons, which were mainly in washing machines and refrigerators.

Total usage of plastics in fiscal 2008 for washing machines and refrigerators was 34,106 tons including 2,325 tons of recycled resin. The ratio of recycled resin usage was 6.8%