ASUS Designs Sustainable Solutions Based on Circular Economy

Oct 23, 2024

A circular economy provides benefits for eco-friendliness and reduces operational costs compared to traditional linear business models that “takes, makes, and disposes”. The core value of a circular economy is cradle to cradle resource management, so instead of always using new resources and materials for product production, resources used should follow a circular cycle. ASUS designs sustainable solutions and adopts sustainable methods based on the execution of a circular economy. Read on to discover how this is achieved!

Reducing the use of raw materials and instead selecting reused or recycled ones for production enhances resource circularity. Zenbook S 13 OLEDis a verified carbon-neutral laptop that uses multiple eco-friendly materials: the exterior is made with post-industrial recycled aluminum, post-consumer recycled plastics are used to make its keycaps and speaker case, and ocean bound plastics are used for its speaker case. The packaging of Zenbook S 13 OLED contains zero plastic and is completely made with FSC™-certified paper – even the handle!

Using easily recyclable materials and safer chemicals instead of ones that are damaging to the environment such as halogen is also a part of ASUS’s efforts. Halogens worsen air quality and respiratory issues can occur under extended exposure to the substance. To do the environment a favor and increase plastic recyclability in our products, ASUS has achieved production of more than 90% of our laptop components without using halogenated flame retardants. For instance, ExpertBook B9 (B9400CB) uses halogen-free motherboards and we have transitioned to only using halogen-free hard drives and batteries since 2019.

Energy conservation and waste reduction are also parts of a circular economy - and these are evident in the ASUS supply chain management and product design. The main source of carbon emission from ASUS comes from our supply chain, and we are committed to supporting our partners to reduce carbon footprint. New suppliers who work with ASUS must have an ISO 14001 certification, which indicates that an environmental management system is implemented. ASUS also helps map out carbon reduction plans for suppliers based on their capabilities.

ASUS has invested tremendous resources into the research and development of better product energy efficiency to achieve green design. The better our product’s energy efficiency is, the more effective carbon reduction is when they are in use. ENERGY STAR® is currently the most prestigious energy efficiency program worldwide, and in 2023 the commercial and consumer laptops launched by ASUS exceeded ENERGY STAR® standards by 42% on average. In 2024, 14 of our display products were also listed as “2024 ENERGY STAR® Most Efficient Product”, meaning that they can reduce energy consumption by more than 27% compared to average ENERGY STAR® products.

Another way ASUS continues to cut back on carbon emissions is to make our products and packaging thinner and lighter, which enhances transportation efficiency and saves energy. For instance, ASUS ExpertBook B9 (B9400CB)uses a magnesium-lithium alloy exterior that is lightweight and compact. Zenbook S 13 (UX5304M)weighs only 1 kg light while being 1 cm slim, making it the world’s slimmest OLED ultraportable laptop. The subtraction of charging adapters in Zenfone 11 Ultradue to the increasing ubiquity of wireless charging has resulted in a 31% reduction in packaging size compared to its previous version. We removed single use cushioning in our product packaging and redesigned the packaging structure. Now the box closely envelopes all parts of our products making the packaging volume smaller. This increases transportation efficiency and reduces consumed energy.

Designing products to be more repairable extends products’ lifecycles and reduces waste by enabling partial repair instead of complete disposal followed by a new product purchase. This maximizes resource utility and facilitates circular economy. Modular design in products such as ASUS BR1402Fmakes replacement of key components fast and easy, while ROG Strix G18also achieved 8.6 out of 10 for the French Repairability Index in 2023.

After products come to the end of their lifecycle and need to be discarded, they still hold value if recycled or refurbished properly. As a producer, ASUS has been continuously taking responsibility for device recycling by establishing Global Take Back Servicesin 30 countries which covers 82% of our sales market. Through drop off, mail back, trade-in, and pick up services in these 30 countries, 12,042 tons of e-waste was recycled in 2023.

In addition to responsible recycling ASUS also repairs some laptops taken back to our recycling centers. Those which are still usable are refurbished and donated to people in need. Since 2008, more than 20,000 new and refurbished laptops have been donated to over 500 ASUS digital opportunity centers in 39 countries. Constantly striving to do better, ASUS also joined the Prevent Waste Alliancein 2023 which is an international platform for engaging in promotion of circular economy.

As our population grows, so does the demand for virgin materials. To ease the impact made on our planet and contribute to sustainable development, ASUS has made circular economy a part of our core strategy. In 2023 we have made some significant achievements including more than 90% of our revenue coming from eco-friendly products, being named an EPEAT Climate+ champion, and achieving a global product recycling rate of 13%. Our efforts continue as we strive for bigger goals to become a green high-tech leader in the tech industry. Our ESG endeavors and progress made in 2023 can be found here in our 2023 ESG report, also click the button below to learn more about how ASUS manages chemical usage.