[Interview] "Printers Change Air Quality... Epson Korea Creates 'Breathable Offices'"

Office Air Quality Determines Health
'Dust-Free' Campaign Minimizes Fine Dust
ESG Management in Practice with Eco-Friendly Inkjet
Printers as Employee Welfare, Targeting the Rental Market

"We spend one-third of our day in the office, and the quality of office air is one of the most significant factors affecting our health."

The average office worker spends at least eight hours a day in the office on weekdays. While many companies pay attention to employee welfare by investing in desks, chairs, and break rooms, they often neglect air quality management. On July 9, at the company’s headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Sungje Park, Director of Epson Korea (Head of Printing Solutions Business Team), stated, "Many people are unaware that printers and copiers in the office emit large amounts of hazardous chemicals such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and ultrafine dust."

The 'Dust-Free' campaign, which Epson Korea, the Korean subsidiary of Japanese printer and office electronics company Epson, has been independently promoting since May this year, originated from this awareness. The campaign highlights the importance of considering 'air quality' when consumers purchase printers for offices or homes.

[Interview] "Printers Change Air Quality... Epson Korea Creates 'Breathable Offices'"

Sungje Park, Director of Epson Korea, is explaining about eco-friendly printers during an interview with Asia Economy at the office in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul. Photo by Yongjun Cho

Unlike laser printers, which are commonly used in offices, Epson's inkjet printers are designed to minimize the emission of fine and ultrafine dust through their output system. This is the essence of Epson's 'Dust-Free' technology. In addition, Epson's inkjet printers feature 'Heat-Free' technology, which allows ink to be ejected without using heat during the printing process. As a result, there is no need for preheating, and both power consumption and carbon emissions can be reduced.

Park explained that Epson's inkjet printers are comparable to 'organic food.' He said, "Organic food may not taste as good as food with artificial seasonings, but what matters most is that it is not harmful to the human body. In fact, the organic market continues to grow." He also noted that while laser printers use powder toner, Epson printers use liquid (pigment) ink, which means that fine and ultrafine dust are virtually not generated during the printing process.

In fact, Epson commissioned the Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL) to conduct certified tests on its inkjet printers. The results showed that the emission levels of fine dust (PM10) and ultrafine dust (PM2.5) before and after printing were "below the quantifiable level." Ozone (O₃) emissions were also "below the quantification limit," and the emission of total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) was found to be negligible. Epson also considered environmental factors in terms of waste management. Park stated, "Epson BusinessJet products are equipped with high-capacity ink packs to minimize waste generation, and maintenance has also been simplified for administrators."

Park Sungje Korean Epson director is interviewing with Asia Economy at the office in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

The background of the campaign lies in the company's longstanding ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management philosophy. Founded in Japan in 1942, Epson has made 'coexistence with the Earth' and sustainability its core values. Under the 'Environmental Vision 2050' goal of achieving carbon negativity and eliminating the use of underground resources by 2050, Epson achieved 'RE100 (100% renewable energy)' at all of its global business sites in December 2023.

However, in recent years, the trend of ESG, which had been spreading like a fad in the industrial sector, has slowed somewhat amid ongoing domestic and global economic crises. Despite this environment, Epson remains committed to eco-friendliness. Park said, "Other companies may also want to move toward eco-friendliness, but they may be hesitant because it is difficult to set practical KPIs for ESG management. In Epson's case, the secret to practicing ESG management is that we have established specific KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)."

Epson Korea has also recently entered the device subscription market. Park stated, "Our goal is for rental service revenue to account for at least 10% of our total sales," adding, "For B2B (business-to-business) products, we plan to focus mainly on rental services."