The Sony Group is implementing a wide range of waste reduction measures at its sites worldwide.Examples of such measures are described below.

Sony recycles precious metals contained in printed circuit boards of discarded mobile phones and digital cameras and the like from its sites in Japan as raw materials for use in Sony products. In fiscal year 2011, 36 kg of gold, 34 kg of silver and 10 tons of copper were extracted from 23 of its sites in Japan, contributing to a reduction in the use of virgin materials. Looking ahead, Sony will actively strive to communicate the benefits of such efforts to sites across the global Sony Group to increase the number of sites promoting similar initiatives, beginning with sites in Japan, and to expand the recycling of metals from sites.

Progress of Efforts to Promote the Recycling of Metals from Sites

	Fiscal year 2010	Fiscal year 2011	Percentage change
Number of participating sites (Japan)	12	23	192%
Weight of items discarded (printed circuit boards, etc.)	34 tons	58 tons	171%
Gold extracted	28kg	36kg	129%
Silver extracted	7kg	34kg	486%
Copper extracted	5 tons	10 tons	200%

Sony Energy Devices Corporation, which manufactures lithium-ion batteries, among other products, is promoting a variety of ambitious recycling initiatives. Previously, the company sold waste cathode materials from cathode processes and battery assembly lines to recycling companies for the extraction of cobalt, which was used in the manufacture of tools and other items but not recycled for use as battery materials. However, in an effort spearheaded by its procurement and administrative departments, the company developed a scheme whereby it has partnered with a recycling firm that uses calcination to process waste cobalt and other metals from cathode and production processes into a powder form, thereby facilitating reuse as cathode materials. In fiscal year 2011, approximately 60 tons of waste materials were thus recycled for use as cathode materials.

In response to a proposal made by a supplier of optical disc cases, Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (SPE) and Sony DADC U.S. Inc. are promoting a closed-loop recycling program for DVD and Blu-ray Disc™ cases. Under this program, the aforementioned supplier accepts all of Sony DADC's waste polypropylene DVD and Blu-ray Disc™ cases, which it stores-taking care to ensure that they remain separate from other companies' DVD cases-and later grinds and recycles them into a material that is combined with virgin polypropylene for use in the manufacture of new DVD cases. These cases are then repurchased by Sony DADC and used to package SPE's DVDs. This program was launched in February 2012 and as of June 2012, Sony has recycled over 6 million DVD cases (more than 293,000 kg).