Printers with Outstanding Environmental Features

Oki Data Corporation, over many years, has done product development, manufacturing and sales of computer peripheral devices, primarily printers. Our efforts have been based on excellent proprietary technology and knowledge of the global market. Recently, attention to the global environment has been rapidly increasing, and in putting together this special edition on the environment, we wish to describe our current efforts as a manufacturer specializing in printers in developing products with outstanding environmental features—i.e. products which are friendly to the world environment. * Oki Data Corporation, NIP Business Division, Business Promotion Department, Department Head. ** Oki Data Corporation, NIP Business Division, Supply Business Department, Department Head. Each Country’s Environmental Standards, and “Eco Marks” Activities in the Countries of Europe: The countries of Europe have taken the lead in being environmentally conscious and initiating environmental programs. Among them, Germany in particular has taken a leadership role. In 1978, for example, Germany initiated the world’s first “eco-label” system, called “Blue Angel.” The written Guidelines for the Blue Angel ecolabel system were established with input based on the results of an “opinion hearing convention” called by RAL (the German Quality Audit / Label Association.) The Blue Angel standard for printer, RAL-UZ85, was established in July of 1996. It requires that products be “easy on the environment” and its main contents are as follows: The functional life of the product should be extended through product upgrades which the user can readily install, such as the addition of options. Products should conserve energy. Product configuration should be such that, when the used product is ready for disposal, it can be readily dismantled resulting in environmental impact being held to a minimum. Even after the used product is incinerated or buried in landfill as waste, the release of any poisonous gases or other poisonous materials should be minimal. In the same way, the countries of northern Europe jointly adopted standards largely the same as those of Germany and are requiring that each piece of equipment satisfy those standards. As the method of certifying that their products conform to the standards, self-declarations by manufacturers are acceptable. In contrast to this, some countries require evaluation by third parties. T ̈ UV Rheinland/Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (Germany), starting with the Blue Angel standards, but adding evaluation based on ergonomic considerations (i.e. how easy the product is to use), has drafted more thorough standards. Using these standards, T ̈ UV Rheinland itself dismantles a sample of each product, analyzes it, and, confirming the required level of environmental consideration of the product, issues an “ECO Circle” certification. Based on standards for printers which were added in 2000, products of our company became the first printers in the world to receive the certification indicated by the ECO Circle mark. At the present time, the following printer products of our company have earned the ECO Circle certification: • Monochrome printers (text in parentheses is the domestic model name) OP10ex/12i (MICROLINE640CL) OP20plus/24dx (MICROLINE24DXn) OP14ex (MICROLINE14) • Color printers C7000 series (MICROLINE3010c) C9000 series (MICROLINE3020c/3050c/9055c) Activities in the US In the US, from early on, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tackled the issue of reducing electrical power wastage during equipment standby and started the International Energy Star Program. This program was implemented in October, 1995 through agreement between the Japanese and US governments, and it has become an energy conservation standard for OA (office automation) equipment aimed at preserving a bountiful global environment. This energy conservation standard not only allows the display of the international energy star logo on products which satisfy the standard, it has also been included in the standards of each country, most prominently the Blue Angel standard.