Examples of the Use of Recycled Plastic
Our ProductsExterior and interior materials for multifunction printers (MFPs) and toner bottles
Konica Minolta's recycled plastic is used as the exterior and interior materials of our MFPs and for toner bottles.
Exterior materials for MFPs
Our recycled plastic has a higher level of functionality than waste plastic and is more effective at reducing CO2 emissions compared to virgin plastic. The recycled plastic is used as the exterior material for MFPs.
Exterior materials contain the most plastic in an MFP, and these materials must be strong enough to withstand strong impacts. They also have to possess the highest level of flame retardance as a plastic for the following reasons:
- To contain the risk of ignition inside the MFP
- To prevent ignition caused by fire or other cause
Based on polymer alloy technology that was fostered during toner development, Konica Minolta has developed upgraded recycling technology that can dramatically improve the strength and flame retardance of recycled plastic over those of waste plastic. This has enabled the use of recycled plastic in components that account for 88% of the surface area of MFPs.
Forty PET bottles and 10 water jugs are recycled to make the exterior materials for each MFP. A recycled plastic made from PET bottles and Water bottles, R-PC/PET has a high ratio of PCR material of 70% and can reduce CO2 emissions by up to approximately 70% compared to virgin plastic. We recycled approximately 5,000 tons of waste plastic in FY2022, and use of recycled plastic in the exterior materials for MFPs allowed us to reduce our CO2 emissions by approximately 7,000 tons (based on our own calculations).
Interior materials for MFPs
R-ABS, a recycled plastic made from the interior components of gaming machines, is used in the paper tray, which is an interior component of MFPs. R-ABS can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80% compared to virgin plastic. Large components with a number of ribs (protrusions) are more difficult to mold, but Konica Minolta's products contain a wide range of small and large components.
Toner bottles
R-HDPE is a recycled plastic made from milk bottles, which are also a problem in terms of marine pollution. R-HDPE is used in toner bottles, which are a consumable for MFPs. The ratio of PCR material in R-HDPE is 100%, which reduces CO2 emissions by 50% compared to virgin plastic, while its quality is on par with that of virgin plastic.
Transporting recycled pellets from the toner bottle manufacturing site not only increases costs but also increases CO2 emissions. This is why we are also working on local production for local use.
Examples from other companies
Office equipment-related
Konica Minolta's recycled plastic is used in housings related to office automation equipment. The plastic is used in products similar to our MFPs.
Telecommunications equipment-related
The company has decided to use the plastic in the housing for its telecommunications equipment. We developed and Recycled plastic that met our customer's needs.
Inquiries about our recycled plastic
Products
Matelier utilizes waste materials that have a short usage period and relatively little deterioration. For example, milk bottles, water bottles, PET bottles, and other bottles that are discarded as soon as they are finished drinking are used as raw materials. In addition, CDs and DVDs used indoors or in cars, and amusement machines that are used in air-conditioned rooms and whose models are changed every 3 to 5 years are also utilized.
Technology
The recycled plastic developed by Konica Minolta is used in the housing of MFPs, which require highly functional materials, through high-purity and upgrade recycling technologies. These technologies have the potential to expand the use of waste plastics and contribute to the realization of a sustainable, recycling-oriented society by reducing environmental impact.
Message
Recycled plastics must offer the same or better quality, cost, and supply as petroleum-derived virgin plastics, as well as high environmental performance, making the formulation design extremely challenging. We achieved our goal by designing the entire process, including the production process, while making full use of material design/analysis/evaluation technology, one of our core technologies.
Case
Konica Minolta has been accumulating recycled plastic technology for more than 10 years. Konica Minolta has been using recycled plastic obtained through material recycling in its MFPs for more than 10 years.
FAQ
Konica Minolta utilizes raw materials for PCR materials that have a fast replacement cycle and relatively little degradation, so there is little variation in physical properties, ensuring that the properties are almost the same as those of virgin materials.