[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 144 (Thursday, September 11, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S8371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SONY HAWAII AND SONY ELECTRONICS

 Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I wish to recognize Sony Hawaii and 
Sony Electronics (collectively ``Sony'') for their Electronics Take 
Back and Recycle Program. Sony Hawaii, part of the larger Sony 
Electronics Inc., is based in Honolulu and just celebrated its 40th 
anniversary as a Hawaii-based company. Seventy-five percent of Sony 
Hawaii's business comes from selling discounted Sony products directly 
to U.S. military personnel around the world.
  Sony has long been an industry leader in the environmentally friendly 
design of its consumer electronics and information technology products. 
Last year, Sony announced its Take Back and Recycle Program to 
encourage consumers to recycle and dispose of electronic devices in an 
environmentally sound manner. The program provides customers free 
recycling of their unwanted Sony products, everything from a game 
console to a mobile phone to a DVD. Under its program, Sony takes full 
manufacturer responsibility for all products that bear its brand and 
will recycle those products at no cost to the consumer. Its recycling 
locations will also accept and recycle non-Sony consumer electronics 
and information technology products for a small fee.
  Sony has partnered with Waste Management Recycle America to utilize 
138 drop-off centers throughout the country, with the goal of having 
150 permanent locations and at least one recycling location in every 
State by September 2008. Sony's longer term goal is to have a 
collection location within 20 miles of 95 percent of the U.S. 
population at which consumers, retailers, and municipalities can have 
any product from any consumer electronic manufacturer recycled.
  All products which are collected through the program must be recycled 
using the strictest environmental standards. Waste Management will 
store, track inventory and dismantle the products into the form of 
common raw materials that can be bought and sold on the global market. 
In some cases, it is likely that recycled plastics will be purchased 
for reforming into a new current model electronics product. Sony seeks 
at least 95 percent recycling rates, with less than 5 percent of 
materials going to landfills. In addition, Sony provides full public 
accountability of how and where the material goes and prohibits the 
exportation of hazardous waste to developing countries.
  In addition to setting up permanent collection centers, Sony is 
holding numerous, highly publicized electronics recycling events, 
throughout the United States, including some in the State of Hawaii. 
Sony also offers consumers credit toward the future purchase of a 
similar product if they send in their old product for recycling.
  Sony has stated that its goal in implementing the Take Back and 
Recycle Program is to make recycling as easy for consumers as it is for 
them to purchase a Sony product. I commend Sony for its electronics 
recycling efforts.

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