Sony Electronics Inc. (SEL) in the United States and Sony of Canada Ltd. continue to contribute to the development of the recycling infrastructure in North America. All recycling and support activities are committed to a responsible recycling process which complies with a growing mandate of state and provincial legislation.

In the United States, Sony Electronics Inc. (SEL) continues to expand its voluntary recycling sponsorship program. On September 15, 2007, the company introduced The Sony Take Back Recycling Program, which aims to further encourage consumers to recycle and dispose of electronics equipment in an environmentally sound manner. Developed in collaboration with waste administration and recycling companies in the United States, the program allows consumers to drop off Sony products at designated collection centers free of charge. Products from other manufacturers can also be recycled for a nominal fee. From 75 collection centers initially, the program has expanded and today has 553 such centers in operation.*1 In fiscal year 2010, these centers collected 8,700 tons (19,200,000 pounds) of used consumer electronics. SEL aims eventually to provide a collection center within 20 miles of the homes of 95% of the country's population. SEL has also set a goal of recycling the equivalent weight of recovered consumer electronics for every new product sold.

SEL also conducts the Sony Green Glove program, whereby consumers purchasing a new 37" or larger BRAVIA LCD television from a direct retailer are eligible to have their old televisions removed and hauled away for recycling free of charge. This program was launched nationwide in November 2008. Used televisions thus collected are recycled in a cooperative effort involving SEL's logistics- and environment-related departments and Sony Store, facilitating a low-cost sustainable service for customers. To date, a total of 44 tons (97,000 pounds) of used electronics have been collected through this project.

Complementing these efforts, in April 2009 SEL established the GreenFill program, which enables consumers to recycle unneeded digital cameras, mobile phones, portable media players, notebook PCs and other small electronics equipment from any manufacturer free of charge, simply by placing it in the collection box at participating retail locations. To date, 112 stores and 139 kiosks have signed on to the GreenFill program, and Sony expects this number of participants to increase in the coming months. Participating locations are listed on the environment page of SEL's website.

Consumers can drop off mobile phones, and rechargeable batteries can be dropped off for collection at direct retailers and participating kiosks. As a member of the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC)*2, SEL recycles rechargeable batteries free of charge in line with RBRC's recycling scheme.

In addition to conducting its own independent audits of recyclers and the downstream processing firms to which they subcontract, SEL has set forth a recycling policy whereby all recyclers it does business with must obtain Responsible Recycling (R2) or e-Stewards certification by July 1, 2012. R2 and e-Stewards are certification systems for recyclers organized in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that evaluate such factors as environmental management performance and workplace environment.

Since 2003, Sony of Canada Ltd. (Sony Canada) has worked with provincial governments*3 to set up recycling programs for end-of-life electronics equipment. To date, these programs have recycled more than 170,000 tons(370,000,000 pounds) of such equipment.

In April 2008, Sony Canada expanded its recycling program for small electronic equipment across Canada, enabling consumers to take such products to any of its 53 direct retailers across the country for collection and recycling at no charge. Like its counterpart in the United States, Sony Canada also conducts the Sony Green Glove Program. In 2010, Sony Canada increased its network of nonretail locations where it collects televisions and other large Sony electronics products for recycling free of charge from 26 to 58. Since fiscal year 2008, Sony Canada has collected and recycled 450 tons (990,000 pounds) of consumer electronics.

In accordance with electronics recycling standards set forth by Electronics Product Stewardship Canada (EPSC), which prohibits the export of waste to countries not in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Sony Canada conducts its own independent audits of recyclers and the downstream processing firms which they subcontract.