Toshiba Updates Voluntary Environmental Targets

Today on Greenbiz.com:

Toshiba revised its environmental plan last week to extend its deadline to coincide with the end of the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period.

The company's Fourth Voluntary Environment Plan has been scheduled to run through fiscal year 2010, but will now run through FY 2012 and includes revised targets. For instance, Toshiba now plans to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from its products by 6.3 million tons in FY 2010 and by 7.3 million tons in FY 2012.

The company will show off its environmentally conscious products with a label called Excellent ECP, which for the first time will adorn two products: a notebook PC and LED downlight. By FY 2010, Toshiba plans to introduce 15 Excellent ECP products, and 25 by FY 2012.

Toshiba also added a water consumption component to the new plan: By FY 2012, it plans to reduce manufacturing-related water usage by 9 percent in FY 2010, and by 10 percent by FY 2012.

Last week, the company also announced it began operating a U.S. business to market its advanced boiling water reactors for nuclear power generation.