OKI Switches To Green Printer Parts

By "green" they mean bioplastics, resulting in lower CO2 emissions. Also, things made from them are not immortal, and that's good for the environment.OKI Data Corp., the Japanese printer maker, has announced that it will start using plant-based bioplastics in its printers starting next month.

While bioplastics are considered green chiefly because they will decay in landfills, OKI said that the goal of using them is to reduce its CO2 emissions and its consumption of petroleum resources. (It has a stated goal of cutting its CO2 emissions by 6 percent by 2012 compared to its 2007 levels.)

OKI ships about 1.1 million printers and MFPs yearly.

Chosen for its cost and availability, OKI will be using bioplastic that is at least 25 percent by weight composed of plant biomass. It is based on polyactic acid and is already used in home appliances and office equipment.