MAHWAH, NJ, October 30, 2008 -- Sharp Electronics Corporation today announced that it is creating a nationwide electronics recycling program to provide free, convenient consumer recycling of Sharp Electronics televisions and other consumer audio and video products. The program will kick off in several states in November, and is slated to expand to all 50 states with many hundreds more sites, over next three years. Panasonic and Toshiba products will also be accepted at these locations.

“In all aspects of our business, we continuously seek ways to reduce impact on the environment,” said Doug Koshima, chairman and CEO, Sharp Electronics Corporation. “Working through the MRM venture, Sharp, Panasonic Corporation of North America and Toshiba America Consumer Products, are working to create an electronics recycling program that achieves the dual objectives of being easy and convenient for consumers, while offering the industry a path to efficient, environmentally sound recycling.”

Sharp’s recycling program will utilize the infrastructure being developed by the Electronics Manufacturers Recycling Management Company (MRM). A joint venture between Panasonic, Sharp Electronics and Toshiba, MRM was established in September of 2007 to efficiently manage collection and recycling programs in the United States for electronics manufacturers.

Beginning in November, there will be more than 160 sites in 10 states where consumers can drop off Sharp brand televisions and other Sharp consumer audio and video electronics products for free recycling. Along with MRM, Sharp will continue its expansion until its services cover all 50 states. Sharp will also accept consumer drop-off of Sharp televisions and consumer electronics products for recycling at its headquarters in Mahwah, NJ. A complete list of locations where Sharp products can be recycled will be available by November 1st on the MRM website at http://www.MRMrecycling.com.

The program being developed by MRM aims to bring the electronic product manufacturing community together into a unified voluntary national program to address America’s e-waste recycling needs. The program will utilize the larger volumes achieved through working with other manufacturers to maximize efficient collection and recycling.

Sharp and the Environment
Consistent with Sharp’s vision to contribute to the world through environment and health-centric businesses, focusing on energy-saving and energy-creating products, Sharp Electronics strives to conduct business operations in an environmentally conscious manner. Over the past several years, Sharp has taken a leading role in addressing e-waste. For example, every year since its inception in 2003, Sharp has supported the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Plug-in to eCycling" program by participating in and contributing to collection events for discarded electronics. Since the Plug-in to eCycling program's inception, Sharp has supported more than 650 Plug-in events that collected and recycled 15.4 million pounds of electronics. In 2007 alone, over 100 Sharp-supported events collected and recycled 2.25 million pounds of electronics.

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