Sony will be testing the inclusion of “polypropylene recycled from post-industrial waste” in its physical PlayStation 5 game cases in Europe this year, as it endeavours to make its product line greener moving forwards. As part of a blog post on the division’s corporate website, it explains how it’s reduced its use of plastic where possible – noting that PS5’s console packaging is 93 to 99 per cent plastic-free.
“While we know there is still work to be done, there are a number of improvements we implemented to achieve this,” explained Kieren Mayers, who’s a Director of Environment and Technical Compliance at PlayStation. He explained that the firm has switched from polystyrene and plastic inserts to cardboard ones, and has even swapped plastic cable ties for paper.
“We will continue to review innovations and technical possibilities to address plastic use in our packaging and products, as well as consider alternatives to plastic under our new global resource-efficient packaging design guidelines,” he continued. Sony’s goal is to eliminate plastic entirely from its small product packaging by 2025.
We recently posted a fascinating interview on greener packaging, which discusses the prospect of eco-friendly game cases and much more. It’s well worth a read if you’re interested in the topic.
[source sie.com]
Comments 40
Good. I was impressed by how little plastic was used in the PS5’s box and I recycled almost the entire packaging. Hopefully they can release less pollutants during the production of games and consoles too.
Super stuff. Little steps like this can go a long long way.
Nice one Sony!
@nessisonett Yep, I was also quite impressed with the PS5's packaging and how recyclable it is. Same with all the accessories as well.
As long as they arnt made of card. Game cases made of card dont last and become tatty very quickly
@trev666 Well no, the article clearly says that they’ll be made of ‘polypropylene recycled from post-industrial waste’. So recycled plastic. Which is the right way to go about it as plastic takes forever to biodegrade so might as well use the plastic which is already here rather than produce more.
Aha, this was why! For the past couple weeks, I've been left with a nagging feeling that my PS5's packaging felt worryingly cheap on arrival. Part of me (a very silly part, I hasten to add) was concerned that I'd received some kind of second-hand refurbishment. With this context, it makes way more sense.
Is this a alternative reality where the ps5 has positive news 🤔
I kinda wish they'd taken the opportunity of the start of the PS5 generation to switch back to CD-style jewel cases. Less plastic, easier to store, what's not to like?
Nice. Glad to see Sony is taking steps in reducing plastic usage.
@theheadofabroom Those things always end up cracked. I think of my teenage years and I think of cracked CD cases and CDs wobbling around in the case because the little plastic "teeth" that held the disc in place had broken. I do look after my stuff generally, I still have my PS2 - man, I still have my figure of Battle Cat from He-Man, but those cases break easier than a quest in a Bethesda game.
I would very much like to see the world more readily embrace hemp based materials (bioplastics).
@theheadofabroom I'd unironically be super excited by a switch back to the PS1 jewel cases. I've always thought they looked much nicer and more premium than the large boxes they used for their newer systems.
Recycle the console box? Am I the only one who keeps the box... forever 😆
@Matroska @theheadofabroom @Ralizah My foot recently got in a fight with my original FF7 box. My foot won. Unfortunately Disc 2 is now in 2 pieces.
@fR_eeBritney It’s not that the box is recycled, it’s made out of recycled plastic.
Definitely a step in the right direction towards making the World a better cleaner place.
@fR_eeBritney No I keep it too for when I'm not using it.
@nessisonett Jesus, Godzilla, you stomped THROUGH the case and smashed a disc inside of it?
If they ever revived the jewel cases, they could probably stand to make them hardier. I didn't take care of my stuff as a kid, so a lot of cases have cracks in them.
Good stuff, glad to hear it!
@nessisonett
I kept my box. I always keep my console boxes. As soon as Sony drops a slim PS5 (or even better, a PS5 Pro) this one is getting traded in with its original box intact. I’m ocd to a certain extent lol.
But I was impressed by how little plastic there was. I’m all for going green.
I’d want something long lasting but all for this.
Set up a digital trade in policy so physical games aren’t a third of the price of digital, at most, and I’ll happily never buy a game in a case ever again. That has to be better for the environment, right?
@Ralizah I stepped on the box, which cracked the outer casing and sent me off balance and the case went sliding away behind me. I then tripped over from said lack of balance and landed on my arse right on the case. Due to the way the multiple disc thingy is set up, it just must not have the same protection for the discs. RIP Final Fantasy 7.
@fR_eeBritney I have all my boxes. Ps2 - PS5 and the vita
@Ralizah best looking boxes ever were the Sega CD and Sega Saturn cases.
Unfortunately those things cracked when you looked at them the wrong way.
I have a copy of the above game which you can use to test its recyclability. Not using it cos I’ve been unable to get an actual PS5 to play it on 😉
Something i can aplaud for at last
@TheRedComet I still have my PlayStation 1 box with Demo 1 sticker featuring Ridge Racer Revolution, Destruction Derby 2, Wipeout 2097 and Tekken 2. Lot of sequels there. It's a little battered but my PS2 box is in great condition. Waiting to get myself a nice condition box containing a PS5 when they become more readily available.
I can't understand why you would throw away the packaging. Better for storage or trade in purposes with it as far as I am concerned.
i dont think ive ever chucked away a game case. make the case out of recycled plastic and make it recyclable sorted
They've already started with the green cases with MLB21? 🤔
I'll see myself out.
miniscule changes like gaming cases is not going to help one bit in the grand scheme of things. so long as there are a billion cars on the road emitting greenhouse gases there is no hope. instead of clapping our hands to these band-aid solutions, we should be pushing our governments to ban gas guzzlers and implement solar panels on the roofs of our homes. people have become so complacent and easy to please. this is just a sony PR move if nothing else.
@fR_eeBritney The thing is, at some point someone will dispose of the box, even if it's not necessarily you. So it's still a good move from that perspective.
Especially when Sony expects to sell 100 million of these things. That's a LOT of plastic.
@get2sammyb In a world, where Europe produces 2% of global plastic waste, it doesn't look like step into any greener future. Why shouldn't Asia be those "lab-rats", to show some serious results? OR better, release some games in greener cases globaly, to see results. I don't say it is bad move, but it feels like trying to reduce bonfire flame by spitting.
@Porco My friend showed me a study where the richest 0.00025% of population were causing a ridiculously high amount of emissions... Powering all those mansions for when they return to them once a year can't be very green.
Well, this is good. I have seen many companies doing better, lead by example. Hopefully this will become infectious.
Now make those PS5 game cases PS1 sized we dont get anything in them anymore anyways.
@TheRedComet The Saturn cases were huge why not make a PS5 case the same as PS1 with the materials from a PS4 so without those crappy holders that a CD has.
@Flaming_Kaiser
I’m fine with that as long as they don’t use PS4 case materials.
PS4/PS5 cases aren’t great.
PS3 cases were much better made.
@TheRedComet I have no real issues with the cases and if the cases are a little less in quality but with fully recycled plastic im good with that.
@Flaming_Kaiser
I’m willing to accept that.
I do think PS4 case production improved over time. It’s mainly the early ones (2013-2016) that I remember being awful. They always cracked at the edges. Sometimes whole chunks would be missing out of new games. After 2016 the quality seemed to improve.
One thing they could do is bring back the cardboard boxes. Make them blu ray case size, but a little thicker. Inside is an ultra thin plastic case (made from recycled plastic) that holds the disc. They could use some sort of biodegradable tape to affix the plastic case to the box for transport.
@TheRedComet I hate cardboard i really do stickers and cardboard no thanks. I still have nightmares from a Lady at the counter gave me a case where she wrote in with permanent marker so it was easier to find the games. I know that last bit has nothing to with anything. Im not acting like in a environmental activist just making it less and cutting the case size in half will make it a lot less impact even with less space so even easier too ship. If you think about a Switch game its even to big for what it is.
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