Epson began treating wastewater discharged from its site so as to avoid polluting nearby Lake Suwa. In the 1970s, as pollution became a social issue, Epson stepped up its pollution control efforts and established tough new internal environmental standards with stricter water quality limits than required by legislation.

Since 1980 Epson has carried out programmes to save energy by setting energy reduction targets, conducting site energy patrols, installing energy-efficient equipment, and much more. In 1983, the Shoen Plant (now part of the Hirooka office) installed a system with microcontrollers to control lighting fixtures within the factory. The dramatic energy savings that resulted prompted the Illuminating Engineering Institute of Japan to recognise the Shoen Plant with a Good Lighting Award.

In 1988, a year that would become the first benchmark year for Epson’s environmental programmes, Epson became the world’s first company to announce that it would completely phase out the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in its global operations. Thanks to an intensive Epson Group-wide effort to eliminate these ozone-depleting substances, we became CFC-free in Japan in 1992 and worldwide the following year.

After quickly establishing CFC-free technology, Epson actively supported the efforts of partner companies (outside and on-site contractors) to eliminate the use of CFCs. As part of this effort, Epson set up a shared, CFC-free cleaning center in the former Shimauchi Plant and invited partners to use it.

In 1992 Epson received the first of six consecutive Stratospheric Ozone Protection Awards (both Corporate and Individual Awards) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in recognition of the company's CFC-elimination programme and individual accomplishments therein.

Tsuneya Nakamura, then chairman of Seiko Epson, commented at the time, "When it became clear that CFCs were damaging the ozone layer, we quickly made a decision to phase them out of our operations. At first, I didn't think the decision was that big of a deal. Only later, when we were selected for this honour, did it dawn on me what we had accomplished."

Volunteer programmes sprouted up across the Epson Group to foster harmony with local communities. In 1993, Epson America, Inc. (EAI) won a Waste Reduction Award from the state of California for its volunteer coastal cleanup programme as well as its waste reduction efforts.

In 1998, a decade after the launch of the CFC elimination programme and the year that Epson uses as its second environmental benchmark year, Epson established a general environmental action plan for addressing a range of environmental problems and formed six expert committees.

• Environmental Product Committee

• Energy Saving Committee

• Zero Emissions Committee

• Product Recycling Committee

• Chemical Substance Control Committee

• Green Purchasing Committee

In 1999 Epson began publishing an annual environmental report to inform the public of its environmental actions and to get public feedback that could be used to help shape future actions. In 2003 we began publishing an annual Sustainability Report that covers not only our environmental actions but also our social programmes.

In 2000, in response to requests from local businesses and organisations looking for ways to save energy at their own sites, Epson teamed up with some other companies operating in Nagano to form the Suwa Regional Energy Patrol Team. The team visits local businesses, offices, and other facilities to assess their energy use and recommend ways to reduce their energy consumption. In 2005, as the benefits of the programme gained broader recognition, a new Shinshu Energy Patrol Team was formed to provide expanded coverage over all of Nagano Prefecture. A similar programme was launched in Taiwan in 2010.

As a way of contributing to Indonesia, a country where Epson has manufacturing operations, Epson established a reforestation programme on Kalimantan, an island that has been rapidly losing its tropical rainforests. Enlisting the help of The Japan International Forestry Promotion & Cooperation Center and working closely with the Indonesian government, Epson replanted and maintained the "Epson Forest," a roughly 300 hectare area, up until 2008. By adopting an agroforestry approach, wherein agricultural crops are planted along with trees, this project not only restored a forest in decline but also improved the lives of local inhabitants.

Epson was quick to acquire certification for compliance with ISO 14001 as a way to help ensure the continuation and effectiveness of its environmental programs. In 1995 U.K. affiliate Epson Telford Ltd. (ETL) earned certification for BS7750 (a British Standard for environmental management systems on which ISO 14001 is based). By 2001, all of Epson's major manufacturing and non-manufacturing sites around the globe had acquired ISO14001 certification.

In 2000 Epson began the Epson Ecology Label Programme. Under this programme, we used labels to provide consumers with information about the environmental attributes (self-declared) of Epson products and to promote the creation of eco-conscious products. The LP-9400 (EPL-N7000 in some regions) page printer, released in 2001, was the first product to qualify for a label.

We started a standardised, global program to guarantee that certain banned substances are kept out of our supply chain. This program serves to assure that the parts and raw materials procured by Epson Group companies anywhere in the world meet criteria published in the Epson Group Green Purchasing Standard for Production Materials.

Click here for more information about green purchasing.

We launched a 'zero emissions' program in 1997. The goals of this program are to recycle 100% of the emissions generated by our business activities (Level 1) and to reduce our total emissions (Level 2). By 2003 every Epson site around the world had achieved Level 1. Presently, we are working to reduce the volume of waste itself and to achieve a higher level of recycling.

To do what we can to fundamentally address the deepening problem of global warming, we established Environmental Vision 2050, a document that states Epson's long-range environmental goals.

Epson's SE15 Mid-Term Environmental Policy sets out the first milestones along the path toward achieving Environmental Vision 2050.

We launched the SurePress L-4033A. This digital label press was designed with a view toward using innovative Epson products and technologies to reduce environmental impacts during use. Employing Epson's Micro Piezo technology, the SurePress offers label manufacturers a dramatically lower environmental impacts than traditional analog label presses.

To improve the basic eco-performance of our printers and to provide users with more installation options, we completely revamped the design for compactness. The Expression Premium XP-600 inkjet printer has smaller mechanisms and a new, slimmer type of print head and ink cartridge, making them significantly smaller in every dimension than its predecessor the Artisan 730.

Epson's advanced inkjet technology is driving changes in office printing by accelerating the shift from laser to inkjet. Office inkjet printers equipped with high-capacity ink packs save resources and time by dramatically reducing the need to replace consumables, and reduce the work involved in replacing, ordering, managing, and transporting consumables inventory. And with no heat used in printing, Epson inkjets use far less power than laser printers.

Epson has developed technology that will change the paper cycle, give new value to used paper, and stimulate in-office recycling. The PaperLab paper recycler, scheduled for commercial release in Japan in 2016, uses Epson's original Dry Fibre Technology to securely destroy confidential documents and recycle them without using precious water resources⁵.

Epson joins in companies’ call for accelerated climate action: Two years after the ground-breaking adoption of the Paris Agreement (December 12th, 2015) we are proud to be one of the 54 global companies to call for ambitious climate action as a basis for future economic success as part of the OnePlanet Summit.

To design products while thinking of their entire life cycle

To use environmentally-conscious materials

To produce with a minimum of materials and energy, and prevent unnecessary emissions

To transport products efficiently

Eco-performance as customer value

We design our products to be easy to recycle after use.