Japanese IBM Japan, Ltd. and Okamura Corp have started a joint plastic recycling programme in which Okamura uses recycled plastics from discarded IBM personal computers (PCs) to make office supplies. Japan for Sustainability reports that IBM Japan has had the Eco-Office Promotion programme since 2001, in which the company uses office supplies such as ballpoint pens and wastebaskets made from plastics recycled from used PCs from its own offices or that had been leased to other organizations.

However, the new partnership with Okamura will provide IBM Japan with plastic products from recycled PCs originating further afield and will also triple the amount of plastic recycled. Okamura will join hands with IBM Japan to create office supplies from recycled plastics. This kind of supplier/user cooperation is expected to stabilize raw material supplies, promote consistent quality and establish an effective material cycle