Victor Creative Media started taking orders for CD/DVD cases made with rice-based plastic. Though the plastic has already been used for the handle of paper fans and benches, this is the first time that it has been employed for CD/DVD cases.

The rice-based plastic is made from nonfood rice and plastic resin. This time, rice accounts for more than 10% of the material. The plastic uses less fossil material than existing plastics made entirely from oil.

When incinerated, it emits 10% less CO2 than the existing products in terms of carbon neutrality. Carbon neutrality here means that the CO2 generated by incinerating the rice would neither increase nor decrease the total amount of atmospheric CO2 because rice plants absorb CO2 while growing.

Agri Future Joetsu will manufacture the plastic, and its affiliate Biomass Technology will sell it. Victor Creative Media will be responsible for the production arrangement, quality check and marketing of the CD/DVD cases. Nakatani Sangyo will manufacture the cases, which will be sold by Otoginomori Corp.For the time beng, the production cost per unit is several yen higher than the cost of other CD/DVD cases

“Though the higher cost will be reflected in the selling price, content providers can show their environmental awareness to consumers,” says the company. CDs and DVDs in these cases will hit the shelves in late January to February 2009 at the earliest.

Story filed 19.01.09