Katsuhiko Hirosawa
NTT DoCoMo Product Department

"As a top company in the mobile-phone field, we felt a responsibility to create a highly environmentally friendly product," relates Katsuhiko Hirosawa, manager of Product Department, NTT DoCoMo, speaking about the significance of the project. But "When it came time to start the project, we really had to wrack our brains to create the concept of what an environmentally friendly mobile phone would be like."

Mobile phones contain many recyclable materials, including gold, silver, copper, palladium, and other rare metals, as well as batteries and plastics. For this reason, NTT DoCoMo began collecting and recycling mobile phones and batteries in 1993. Today, it recycles 100% of the cellular phones, PHS phones, batteries, and other products it collects. But Hirosawa took on an even greater challenge: developing a mobile phone that was itself environmentally friendly.

Hirosawa first decided to incorporate plant-based plastic into the case, and met with terminal manufacturers for help with development. As a result, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan, Inc. and NEC Corporation completed prototypes. These materials are already being used in audio equipment and notebook PCs.

The plant-based plastic used by Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan, Inc. was developed by Sony. It is based on polylactide^*, which is made from corn. The use of this plastic instead of ordinary plastic, which is made from petroleum, makes it possible to conserve more non-renewable resources, and also generates less greenhouse gas. It is also biodegradable, so even if thrown away it will gradually break down into water and carbon dioxide. The prototypes have the same specifications as the MOVA mobile phone currently in use, with about 60% the surface area consisting of the plastic, and about 22 grams used.

Meanwhile, NEC Corporation's prototype is a FOMA phone using kenaf-reinforced bio-plastic. Kenaf-reinforced bio-plastic consists of polylactide reinforced by added kenaf fibers, making it more heat resistant and stronger. Kenaf is a south-seas plant with a highly fibrous stalk. It is used in China and Southeast Asia as a material for pulp. It absorbs CO2 three to nine times faster than ordinary trees. About 70% of the case surface area is made of the plastic, with about 26 grams used.

"Both of them have excellent features," says Hirosawa. "They enable us to reduce our use of petroleum, and since they are made from plants, they do not impact the environment."

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polylactide ... A plastic made by fermenting and then chemically bonding starches and sugars from corn, potatoes, and other plants

Mass production is also planned. Although the company intends to launch mobile phones using plant-based plastics as early as 2006, "There are still two major challenges," says Hirosawa.

The first is the creation of eco-standards. NTT DoCoMo must clarify the standards that its eco-phones use. The technical specifications of the plastic, including shock resistance, heat resistance, and moldability, must also be tightened up to enable use in all NTT DoCoMo mobile phones. It is also necessary to create a system to simplify recycling.

The second challenge is specific marketing strategies. Although a coating is used on the surface of the prototype's case, close examination reveals the grains of the kenaf fibers. In order to make a product popular with the general public, it must be made fashionable. Additionally, the market is too tough to accept the eco-phone concept on its own. The phones must be marketed to appear fun, so that customers want to try them out, and then the concept of the eco-phone must be placed within this campaign.

"We don't want to fall behind other companies in fulfilling our corporate social responsibility, including the environment," says Hirosawa, "but we also don't want to rush things. We plan to patiently continue with verifications, to incorporate the concept of an environmentally friendly mobile phone into the concept of mobile phones in general."

Before starting work with NTT DoCoMo in 1998, Hirosawa was an engine design engineer with an auto manufacturer of all things, whose job included international negotiations. He has been a Formula-1 racecar designer, and has also been involved in the development of fuel-efficient engines.

"There are a lot of themes I'd like to develop in mobile phones, in addition to mobile phones using plant-based plastic, such as mobile phones using materials with shape memory that are easy to recycle, and mobile phones using universal design."

Automobiles and telecommunications: although the fields are completely different, Hirosawa's job of continually looking toward the future of the environment and humanity remains unchanged.