Collection, Reuse and Recycling of Used Products

In collecting and recycling used products, we promote compliance with principles such as those of the Basel Convention and prohibit the export of electronic waste from OECD member countries to non-OECD member countries.

Konica Minolta has established programs to collect and recycle equipment products, such as multi-functional peripherals (MFPs), production printing machines, and printers no longer needed by customers, providing collection methods (pick-up, drop-off, mail-in, etc.) tailored to the laws, regulations, and market conditions of each country around the world.

Outside Japan, Konica Minolta is also promoting recycling initiatives adapted to circumstances in each country. In Europe, for example, the Company complies with the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), while in Asian countries such as China and India, as well as in other countries, it meets applicable legal and environmental labeling requirements.
In China, customers also have the option of bringing their used products to recycling facilities designated by Konica Minolta.

Konica Minolta With You, Inc., a special subsidiary of the Konica Minolta Group established to promote the employment of people with disabilities, operates a refurbishment business for used MFPs in Japan. Used MFPs collected from the market are sorted and restored to a condition suitable for reuse through processes such as parts replacement, adjustment, cleaning and inspection, before being sold as refurbished products.
Compared with manufacturing new products requiring new resource inputs, these refurbished products contribute to approximately a 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions.

Konica Minolta offers collection and recycling programs for used consumables, such as toner cartridges, toner bottles, imaging units, and photoreceptor drums, in more than 20 countries, including Japan, the United States, countries in Europe, and Australia. In some countries, customers can return used consumables by mail at no cost by using designated return methods. Collected consumables are recycled by partner companies in each country or region, with priority given to material recycling.

Konica Minolta implements a program to collect and recycle used toner bottles. To further contribute to the circular economy, we established a reuse system in 2021 to refill used toner bottles with toner and supply them as reusable products, launching sales in Europe. This initiative not only reduces the use of virgin plastic, but also contributes to reducing the energy used to mold toner bottles.

Konica Minolta Japan, Inc. participates in the "Collection Machine Exchange System" operated by the Reverse Logistics Committee of the Japan Business Machine and Information System Industries Association (JBMIA). Under this initiative, when participating companies collect or trade in other manufacturers' machines upon product sales or replacement, they bring them to joint collection depots, from which the machines are automatically transported to regional exchange centers. Each company then retrieves their respective machines to perform appropriate disposal and recycling, thereby promoting recycling across the entire industry. Covering all of Japan, 35 collection depots and 9 exchange centers have been established from Hokkaido to Okinawa.

In France, Konica Minolta Business Solutions France S.A.S. jointly established CONIBI with 15 manufacturers of MFPs, production printing machines, and printers, and has entrusted it with product collection operations. CONIBI created its own free collection system and promotes the recycling of toner cartridges and consumables.