Resource Efficiency
Reduction of Waste
Initiatives to Reduce Waste at Operational Sites
Canon is working hard to reduce the amount of waste it generates. Efforts include increasing recycling through sorting and collection and minimizing initial waste generation. In particular, we have sought to determine which factors most significantly affect waste generation at production sites for each division and each production process. In addition to recycling plastic scraps generated during production, for parts that meet required characteristics, Canon Prachinburi (Thailand) uses parts made from 100% recycled materials, promoting circular manufacturing. Canon Dalian Business Machines is working on the filtration and recycling of grinding fluids. In addition, Fukushima Canon and the Toride Plant have introduced an automatic collection and aggregation system for waste data at the time of disposal, making it easier to calculate waste by workplace and facilitating efficient reduction activities.
Total waste generated in 2025 was 85,753 tons, a decrease of 8.7% compared to 2024.
- * Excluding color masterbatches
- * Excludes disposal of products collected after use.
- * The scope of aggregation mainly includes companies that have acquired ISO 14001 consolidated certification.
Initiatives Related to In-house Waste Recycling and Outside Resource Recovery
Canon actively works to reduce the amount of waste originating from its operations and to reuse or recycle waste where possible, appropriately disposing of any waste that can be neither reused nor recycled in accordance with the law. Our various operational sites employ a range of in-house recycling schemes, including reusing stretch film, plastic bags, and other component packaging materials to make artificial wooden benches other in-house furnishings. In Japan, even in the case of waste that must be sent outside the company, we outsource the recycling of each resource to ensure that it does not enter landfills*. In 2025, contracted companies processed 84,382 tons of waste from Canon back into materials.
- * Except for some general waste generated by business activities that is disposed of under government oversight.
Action to Reduce Single‑Use Plastics
Canon is actively working to eliminate plastic packaging materials to help bring about a sustainable future. For the CRG070 toner cartridge series, we replaced the recycled plastic cushioning material previously used with recycled paper cushioning.
Preventing paper fibers from adhering to products was an issue when adopting paper cushioning materials. Previously, products had to be protected from such fibers with plastic bags, but applying an additive to the surface of the cushioning materials rendered plastic bags unnecessary.
This step enabled us to achieve zero plastic use*1 in product packaging materials (outer boxes, cushioning materials, and protective bags) as well as the use of 100% renewable materials, thus reducing both the amount of materials used and the environmental impact. Moreover, we reduced CO2 emissions associated with the raw materials and manufacturing of the cushioning materials for the series by approximately 65%.
- *1 Excluding materials used for labels, coatings, and adhesives
- *2 Comparison of before and after replacement of cushioning materials for CRG070 series toner cartridges
Canon is also driving innovation in the packaging of ink tanks for industrial printers to reduce environmental impact.
At Canon Production Printing, ink is traditionally packed in plastic ink tanks that cannot be recycled due to the presence of ink residue after use, yielding a lot of plastic waste. To reduce plastic waste, we have adopted a new "Bag-in-Box" system. By filling ink into a flexible plastic bag supported by a sturdy cardboard box, the company has achieved a 60–80% reduction in plastic usage, a 75% reduction in storage space for empty containers, and a 40–70% decrease in its carbon footprint.
In addition, connecting the ink to the printer is clean and simple, preventing foaming and ink loss during filling while improving work efficiency. This solution successfully combines environmental responsibility with convenience, delivering a sustainable approach.
The issue with corrugated cardboard packaging for office multifunction printers is their increased weight, as more material is usually needed to achieve the same functionality as expanded polystyrene. To reduce packaging volumes while maintaining functionality, we are adopting packaging designs based on the use of prefabricated corrugated board, which reduces the weight and helps to lower CO2 emissions in the transportation process.
Reducing Environmental Impact in the Medical Business and Improving Total Waste Generation
At the Nasu Plant of the Medical Business, steps to reduce environmental impact include more rigorously separating discarded products as well as reusing parts and selling valuables. Guided by an annual target of improving the total waste generation per basic unit by 1% or more, the plant brought pallets used in deliveries back for reuse in 2025, achieving a 4.2% improvement over 2024, above the target.
Reducing Single-Use Plastics in the Imaging Business
In the Imaging Business, we aim to boost the proportion of products that do not use single-use plastics* in their packaging to 100% by 2030 for all of the interchangeable-lens digital cameras, interchangeable lenses, and compact digital cameras announced in a given year.
Starting with the PowerShot V10 released in 2023, we had eliminated the use of single-use plastic packaging in 33 models as of the end of 2025, including the EOS R50 V, RF75-300mm F4-5.6, and related accessories.
- * This refers to petroleum-derived plastics, and excludes the raw materials used for labels, coatings, and adhesives
