OSAKA -- Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Sunny Metal Corp. started up operations March 18 at an experimental facility to study a television recycling system in Konohana Ward here.
In anticipation of recycling of home electric appliances being legally enforced from April 2001, the two companies will explore a recycling system that is effective and inexpensive, improve recycling technology and find ways to collect used products, said Tsuneharu Nitta, director of the corporate environmental affairs division of Matsushita Electric.
On the dismantling line set up in the 400 million yen facility, television sets can be disassembled into their metal and plastic components, picture tubes, funnels and protective screens within 15 minutes. Each component is collected separately and sent to firms such as glass makers and metal companies that can make sure the resources are reused.
About 7 million televisions are sold annually, and the plant has the capacity to dismantle 100,000 television sets a year, according to officials.