In 2022, during the UN Environment Assembly, 170 countries committed to establishing a binding global agreement, the Global Plastics Treaty, to regulate the production, use, and disposal of plastics in industries that heavily rely on plastic products. This convention has been recognized as one of the most significant global environmental agreements since the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Plastics have garnered widespread attention because, once they enter the oceans, they not only cause the death of marine life and destruction of habitats, but larger plastics also gradually break down into microplastics that are absorbed by marine organisms and enter the food chain, ultimately posing potential risks to human health.
Moreover, with the rapid advancement of technology and the transition of traditional industries to clean energy technologies, the demand for metal resources across various sectors continues to grow. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said that "since 2010 the average amount of minerals needed for a new unit of power generation capacity has increased by 50% as the share of renewables in new investment has risen." However, metal extraction is highly associated with child labor, forced labor, damage from hazardous materials or chemicals degradation of biodiversity, or high CO2 emissions. Therefore, promoting the use of recycled metals has become imperative.
Metals and plastics are indispensable raw materials in the production of E Ink products. To reduce the environmental and social impacts caused by the use of these raw materials in the manufacturing process, E Ink began an inventory of the metals and plastics used in its productsNote in 2023, laying the groundwork for increasing the use of recycled materials in the future. Through these efforts, E Ink is committed to achieving more sustainable product design and production processes, reducing negative impacts on the environment and society, and advancing the development of green products.
Note: The inventory focuses on products and modules that account for 90% of the shipping weight in 2023.
