28 September 2011Panasonic is using software from SAP AG to help it comply with rapidly expanding end-of-life regulations and retailer mandates around the world.
According to SAP, manufacturers are seeing the scope of regulations around product and packaging recycling - such as the European Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive - widen.
SAP claims that in addition to compliance, its Recycling Administration application is helping Panasonic to be more efficient and reduce both recycling and operational costs.
Over 30 U.S. states and Canadian provinces employ legislation for e-waste recycling, and according to SAP large retailers are mandating that manufacturers report detailed information about the sustainability status of their products and packaging on a regular basis in order to show improvements over time.
Failure to meet the requirements could lead to severe consequences, including costly fees, competitive disadvantage or brand damage.
As such, SAP says that many consumer electronics manufacturers are planning to roll-out its Recycling Administration software to address these emerging global issues in the North American market.
Panasonic is using the software to classify recyclable materials by type, weight, usage, destination, brand and category.
Furthmore, according to SAP the software is tightly integrated with its enterprise resource planning (ERP) application to support countries with different and evolving compliance requirements, and to offer a central data repository to address regulatory requirements.
The electronics company is rolling out the application throughout its European offices and is currently using it for 50 various compliance schemes.
According to d Thomas Knopp, environmental project manager, Panasonic Europe.
Using SAP Recycling Administration can improve the recycling data management process significantly - representing a 50% time savings across 18 countries and 50 different compliance schemes.
"The application also allows us to generate more accurate calculations of product net weight, the basis for recycling charges per the WEEE Directive, and consequently has reduced recycling costs by 15%, which adds up to millions of dollars every year," adds Knopp.
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