Sony has begun incorporating recycled plastic from discarded televisions into new BRAVIA 8 4K OLED televisions, marking a step toward its goal of “closed-loop recycling.” The 65-inch model, scheduled for global shipment within 2025, will be the first to utilize the recycled material, known as SORPLAS™, a flame-retardant recycled plastic developed by Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation.
The initiative addresses a longstanding challenge in television recycling: the complex mix of plastics used in rear covers. Previously, variations in strength and texture hindered the direct reuse of these materials. Sony’s solution involves advanced sorting technology and material blending methods, enabling the company to reclaim specific plastics from television rear covers – even those from other manufacturers – and repurpose them as raw materials without compromising quality.
This “Material-to-Material recycling” process, as Sony terms it, recovers plastic from end-of-life televisions and reuses it in the production of new televisions of the same category. The development relies on a newly designated collection facility that provides the plastic feedstock for SORPLAS. According to Sony, this approach is a key component of its broader “Road to Zero” environmental plan.
The use of SORPLAS in the BRAVIA 8 represents a practical application of this recycling technology. Sony aims to expand this practice, ultimately achieving complete “closed-loop recycling” by recovering and reusing rear covers made with SORPLAS in all future television production. The company highlighted the significance of April 22nd, Earth Day, as a reminder of the necessitate for environmental action.
Sony’s efforts extend beyond simply designing for recyclability; the company emphasizes the importance of establishing effective partnerships for the collection and disassembly of unwanted electronics to facilitate material recovery. The company has not yet detailed the specific locations of the designated collection facilities or the logistics of expanding the program beyond the initial 65-inch BRAVIA 8 model.
