[Sharp Electronics Corporation announced an expansion of it's nationwide electronics recycling program. Beginning January 15, the new program provides consumers with no-cost, convenient recycling of Sharp televisions and other consumer audio and video products.]

Las Vegas, NV --

Las Vegas, NV, January 8, 2009 -- Sharp Electronics Corporation today announced that it has established a nationwide electronics program to provide consumers with no-cost, convenient recycling of Sharp televisions and other consumer audio and video products. Beginning January 15, 2009 Sharp will expand its current recycling program to 280 sites nationwide, including at least one location in all 50 states, with hundreds more sites planned over the next three years.

Sharp’s recycling program will utilize the infrastructure 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 for electronics manufacturers in the United States.

“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. “Together with Panasonic Corporation of North America and Toshiba America Consumer Products, we have created 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.”

Beginning in January, there will be more than 280 sites across all 50 states where consumers can drop off Sharp brand televisions and other Sharp consumer audio and video electronics products for free recycling. Panasonic and Toshiba products will also be accepted at these locations. A complete list of locations where Sharp products can be recycled is available on the MRM website (http://www.MRMrecycling.com).

The program developed by MRM aims to bring the electronic product manufacturing community together into a unified voluntary national solution 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.

To ensure safe, convenient and responsible recycling, MRM has teamed with leading recycling companies CRT-Processing, Creative Recycling, and Eco-International.

The sites MRM has established include drop-off and collections sites, and partnerships with not-for profits such as Goodwill. In addition MRM will be testing a new concept being pioneered by recycling partner, Eco International -- using public storage sites to provide convenient, cost effective recycling opportunities for consumers. The MRM infrastructure will include 40 of these sites and will expand if these prove to provide the level of service that both our manufacturers and consumers desire.

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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