Aiming to reduce
the impact on the global environment, particularly
at the end-user stage, the Ricoh Group is
tackling important issues, specifically
reduction of environmentally sensitive substances
contained in its products and reduction
of noise, ozone, dust, and styrene emissions
at the end-user stage. To reduce the amount
of environmentally sensitive substances
in products, the Ricoh Group worked together
with suppliers in adopting lead-free solder,
reducing the use of hexavalent chromium
in steel plates, and reducing the use of
PVC in wire coating, with the goal of completely
eliminating these substances by the end
of fiscal 2004. Environmentally sensitive
substances do not affect the environment
when customers use them properly, but they
may cause harm when they are mined or improperly
disposed of. Reducing the use of these substances
will ultimately lessen recycling costs as
well as the environmental impact a product
has during its life cycle. The Ricoh Group
has taken on these challenges as part of
its sustainable management activities. The
imagio Neo 601/751 series multifunctional
copiers marketed in Japan in December 2002
significantly reduced lead, hexavalent chromium,
and PVC content. They ranked the first1
in the copier division of Green Purchasing
Network (GPN)2
in Japan.
1.
As of end of March 2003
2. GPN provides information on eco-friendly
products to promote green-purchasing approaches.
http://www.gpndb.jp (Japanese only)
GPN Standard
Lead-free
Soldering
|
Use
of PVC in Wire Coating
|
 |
Solder used
to fix parts onto printed wiring
boards (solder contained in
parts are excluded.)
Lead-free rate = weight of lead-free
solder/total weight of applicable
solder
|
| AA |
100%
lead-free |
| A |
50%
or more is lead-free. |
| B |
10%
or more is lead-free. |
| C |
Less
than 10% is lead-free. |
|
|
|
PVC used
to coat wires for copiers
PVC replacement rate = weight
of non-PVC wire coating/total
weight of wire coating
|
| I |
100%
none use |
| II |
50%
or more is replaced by
other materials. |
| III |
Replacement
rate is 10% or more. |
| IV |
Replacement
rate is less than 10%. |
|
|
| *
As of end of March 2003, there is
no copier designated as AA or I. |
Working Together to Reduce Environmentally
Sensitive Substances in Components
Ricoh works
with parts manufacturers to promote development
of parts free of lead, PVC, and hexavalent
chromium. These partnerships have earned
Ricoh products a high rating on the GPN
database in Japan, which promotes green-purchasing.
Ricoh Group's overseas production sites
are also a part of this effort.
- Lead-Free
Solder
Ricoh
and Orion Electric Company, LTD.
worked together to develop a power
supply device using lead-free
solder, making use of Ricoh's
technology and know-how in lead-free
solder, as well as Orion's original
production technology. There are
about 600 products1
registered in the copier division
of the GPN database. Of the 54
products receiving an "A"rating,2
28 are Ricoh products. In the
category of color copier, Ricoh
imagio Neo C380 has received an
"A" rating.
1.
As of end of March 2003
2. See GPN Standard.
|
 |
imagio
Neo C380
(with optional model 75 attached)
|
- Reducing
Use of PVC in Wire Coating
Ricoh
and Kyoto Electric Wire Corporate LTD.
jointly developed a power cable free
of PVC and lead. The Company also worked
with manufacturers of wire, connectors,
and harnesses to develop PVC- and lead-free
wire harness. All 28 products rated
II* in the copier division of the GPN
database are Ricoh products, including
the Aficio 1224C/1232C (imagio Neo C240/320)
series and imagio Neo C380 color copiers.
*
See GPN Standard.
- Reducing
Use of Hexavalent Chromium in Steel
Plates
Ricoh
worked with JFE Steel Corporation (the
former NKK) to develop galvanized steel
plates free of hexavalent chromium.
One product marketed in Japan and three
overseas products use exclusively Chromate-free
steel plates* in their manufacture.
*Refers
only to parts designed by the Ricoh
Group and does not include parts purchased
from subcontractors.
- Reducing
Emissions of Noise and Environmentally
Sensitive Substances
In order
to make copiers or other machines more
comfortable to use, the noise emitted
from them must be reduced. These machines
also emit ozone and dust, albeit in
small quantities. Ricoh is improving
its designs to reduce the emission of
noise, ozone, and dust.
|
