Panasonic to Halve Use of Glass Material by Expanding the Recycling of Fluorescent Lamps

Panasonic Corp. announced on August 21, 2008, that it will expand the recycling of used fluorescent lamp glass--after being properly treated by intermediate processors--at its glass plant in Takatsuki City, Osaka, in western Japan. This approach will make it possible to halve the use of raw material for glass and to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the process of glass melting by 12 percent compared to the level in fiscal 2007.

Conventionally, used fluorescent lamps have been recycled into construction materials, mainly glass wool or cement material; meanwhile, since 2007, Panasonic has made efforts at its glass plant to recycle part of postconsumer fluorescent lamps to material for new lamps, through joint work with intermediate glass processors.

To ensure the quality of the glass for fluorescent lamps, the company has instituted external recycling standards and evaluation guidelines, and has established thermal control techniques that maintain stable convection in the glass melting furnace to ensure uniform glass quality. As a result, the amount of used lamp glass being recycled has increased to 5,300 tons per year, firmly establishing a "lamp to lamp" cycle.

Panasonic plans to reduce CO2 emissions by about 13 percent in fiscal 2010, by improving the efficiency of the combustion method for glass melting. By combining expected CO2 emissions reductions from recycling the lamp glass, a total of a 25 percent reduction in emissions compared to fiscal 2007 can be achieved, the company says.

- Panasonic global site
http://panasonic.net/

Posted: 2009/01/26 6:00:15 AM