UK Launch of EcoDisc

After years of looking for a way to overcome the environmental impact of DVD manufacture, a product has been introduced to the UK that replaces the traditional DVD format with one that has half the environmental impact. The EcoDisc was developed by EcoDisc Technologies AG (EDT), a research and development company, which licences the technology, patents and manufacturing know-how to optical disc manufacturers around the world. It uses 50 percent less polycarbonate, an oil-based derivative that is facing a world shortage, removes the need for non-biodegradable toxic resins for bonding, and produces 52 percent less CO2 emissions in comparison to using the standard DVD format. The EcoDisc can be used in any situation where the DVD5 format was used previously, and CD formats are also in development.

 
“Since the invention of the DVD in 1993 it has become the world’s standard medium for data storage and distribution and despite advances in online services, current global DVD demand remains at approximately 7-8 billion units per year,” said Ray Wheeler, UK sales director, EcoDisc. “When you think of all of the discs used as magazine and newspaper cover-mounts, or to hold drivers for consumer electronics goods; not to mention basic software, media and film distribution, we had to fix the engine while the plane was still in the air.  We needed to introduce a product into the supply chain that would meet all the requirements of traditional DVDs but overcome the environmental challenges such as dwindling polycarbonate supply.”
 
After considerable investment in research and development, the EcoDisc has been declared ‘fit and robust for the purposes intended’ by independent quality assurance company, Testronic Labs. To achieve this milestone, the EcoDisc was tested in more than 240 Blu-ray players, standard definition DVD players and PC and Apple Mac drives, and inspected in accordance with stringent quality criteria.
 
“The production of the disc was enough of a challenge in itself, but producing a disc that could be read by all the disc players in the world was where all previous efforts had been thwarted,” say Wheeler. “Thankfully, we have found the answer and the EcoDisc is now in mass production and being examined by many of the world’s major media and publishing companies. For many this is a simple step to meeting carbon reduction commitments without any additional investment. All they have to do is switch from their traditional DVD supply to EcoDisc and in most cases they will actually save money.”
 
The EcoDisc was first invented in 2006, but was with-held from general UK distribution until quality assurance testing was complete. The product is now generally available in the UK marketplace through Software Logistics, a single source supplier of digital media replication, design and print, packaging production, fulfilment and distribution.
 
About EcoDisc
The EcoDisc DVD only consists of one layer of plastic (polycarbonate) instead of the two bonded layers of a conventional DVD. By using only half the polycarbonate, the EcoDisc DVD is not only thinner and lighter it also requires only half the energy in production. This means that producing an EcoDisc DVD emits 52% less carbon dioxide (CO2 ) than producing a conventional DVD5. Because EcoDisc is only one layer, it requires no toxic bonder, which makes it fully recyclable. Additionally, as EcoDisc DVDs are only half the weight of conventional DVDs, they offer substantial CO2 emission reductions in shipping and transportation.