Industry

HP Leverages Recycled Materials in Latest Computer Monitor

HP E45c Curved Monitor makes extensive use of recycled plastics in its design. Courtesy of HP

Recycled ABS and ocean-bound plastics widely used in huge, curved monitor

IDEA 2023: Part four of a series

While its focus was clearly on the technology, HP Inc. continues its push to use more sustainable materials with the release of its large E45c curved computer monitor, which measures 44.5 inches diagonally.

The company says that 90 percent of the materials used in the device enclosure are either recycled or renewable. Some 85.5 percent is recycled ABS from information technology equipment and 4.5 percent from ocean-bound plastics (OBP). HP says that in 2020 it was the first technology company to receive recycled content validation from UL for the use of ocean-bound plastics.

It adds that it also uses mostly post-industrial recycled metal in the monitor and certified, sustainably sourced fibers in the corrugated packaging. The product won a Silver IDEA Award at IDSA’s Aug. 23 awards ceremony in New York.

HP says its E45c display is made for creative pros who need the immersive experience that a curved display provides. The elegant, curved back includes a wide array of ports for convenient use. Users need larger screens, HP says, for better productivity and to view all their work at once, with a focus on ergonomics so they can be comfortable all day.

“We solved these problems while maintaining a smooth back, and barely visible speaker ports on the sides of the display.” It also can act as two displays, without the physical split in the middle, so two computers can be shown side by side on one monitor.

Long Service in Protecting Waterways and Ocean

HP has long been active in programs to divert waste plastics from reaching waterways and the ocean. It has been reducing ocean-bound plastics in Haiti since 2016, and in 2019 announced a further $2 million investment in a plastics washing line there to expand its OBP supply chain. Here’s a video about that effort.

In its latest sustainability report, the company notes that “Unfortunately, in November 2022, the facility shut down due to security concerns on the island. We continue to monitor the situation and intend to reopen the facility when the situation stabilizes. We continue our commitment, started in 2021, to help support collectors throughout the political unrest.”

Regarding the E45c monitor, HP states: “This display has a high recycled content and is the perfect flagship product to show that sustainability doesn’t lessen the quality of the product.”

This unboxing video offers an independent review of the monitor.