As Green As It Gets: 100% Recycled and Carbon Free Packaged CDs and DVDs

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine, Aug. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunlyte LLC (Kennebunkport, Maine) is proud to join forces with EDC (Langenhagen, Germany) and shorewood.blueprint (Middlesex, UK) to form the Sunlyte Alliance.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110825/NE57832 )

The Sunlyte Alliance sets the benchmark for Sustainability in Media. The Sunlyte Alliance offers the Media and Entertainment Industry Certified CarbonFree^® CD and DVD packaged discs made from 100% recycled materials including: polycarbonate discs, paperboard jackets and recycled PET Sunlyte trays. The Sunlyte Alliance achieves drastic carbon footprint reduction through design and proprietary manufacturing processes. The Sunlyte Alliance further reduces a package's environmental footprint through efficient shipping, distribution, and retailing.

Sunlyte Alliance Packaged Discs are simply as green as it gets:

• 100% recycled
• Ultra low carbon footprint
• Remaining footprint, including shipping, offset to zero through carbon offsets
• Certified CarbonFree^®

EDC provides discs made of 100% recycled carbonate derived from old and surplus discs and recycled using a proprietary process that removes all metal, lacquers and inks, then grinds, filters and re-extrudes the waste material into an optically pure disc.

Shorewood.blueprint contributes a printed outer digi to house the Sunlyte Tray, made from 100% recycled paperboard using the most environmentally responsible vegetable based inks and coatings. This production process is overseen by FSC certification and ISO 9001 and 1264-7 standards.

Sunlyte LLC supplies the lightweight Sunlyte Tray, made from 100% recycled plastic beverage bottles, and manages carbon accounting and CarbonFree^® Product Certification.

"From design to distribution to disposal, Sunlyte Alliance accounts for the carbon costs associated with the manufacturing of CD and DVD discs, all printed materials and packaging, even the shrink wrap, and shipping to distribution," said Paul Gelardi, Sunlyte LLC CEO and Founder. "We have performed the most extensive carbon footprint analysis of media packaging to validate our carbon free certification."

A full lifecycle analysis to determine the carbon footprint of Sunlyte Alliance packaged discs (including the materials and manufacturing of discs, all packaging and printed material, all transportation through to distribution, and end-of-life) has been calculated by an independent consultant and the methodology was reviewed by two leading carbon management organizations. High standard, third-party validated carbon offsets are then purchased to neutralize the full "cradle to grave" lifecycle footprint. Though the analysis, reductions, and offsets, Sunlyte packaged discs have achieved certification from CarbonFund.org as CarbonFree^®.

Sunlyte Alliance packaged discs reduce material costs, energy costs and waste. For example, a packaged Sunlyte Certified CD weighs 49% less than a standard CD package, resulting in significant shipping and carbon footprint savings.

"The carbon footprint of a product is in large part a measure of waste, and waste is not only bad for the environment, it's bad for business," said Paul Gelardi, Sunlyte Packaging's CEO and Founder. "Through a continuing effort to reduce the essential carbon footprint of packaged discs coupled with carbon offsets, we hope to prove that what's good for the environment is good for business and help the Home Entertainment and Optical Publishing Industry become the first CarbonFree^® Industry."

Sunlyte Certified packaged discs adhere to sustainability guidelines of Wal-Mart, the Recording Association of America and the National Association of Recording Merchandisers.

Sunlyte Alliance Certified CarbonFree^® discs and multi-media packaging are available directly from EDC, shorewood.blueprint and Sunlyte LLC.

PRINT, REPLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS

Sunlyte LLC seeks print, replication and distribution partners who share its Carbon Free mission. There are no fees to become a licensed partner but requirements include a commitment to provide carbon footprint data and a commitment to work for continuing reductions.

SUNLYTE LLC

With over 40 years of packaging experience and state-of-the-art facilities, Maine-based Sunlyte Packaging is a leader in green packaging solutions. We strive to reduce environmental waste while maintaining key design principles of material efficiency, protection and visibility. We are committed to further reducing the essential carbon footprint of our products and services through rigorous, energy-efficient product redesign and use of recycled and recyclable materials. We are committed to helping customers achieve their sustainability goals. From designing custom packaging to manufacturing, we offer cost-effective solutions to help our customers make the right choices for their business and for the world. Sunlyte LLC is certified CarbonFree^® by CarbonFund.org.

ABOUT EDC

Entertainment Distribution Company GmbH ("EDC") is a European provider of supply chain services to the optical disc market. EDC serves every aspect of the manufacturing and distribution process and is one of the largest providers in the industry. Its clients include some of the world's best-known music, movies and gaming companies. EDC's operations include a manufacturing and distribution facility in Hannover, Germany. Headquartered in New York, EDC was established in 2005 following the acquisition of the central European manufacturing and distribution facilities of the Universal Music Group.

ABOUT shorewood.blueprint

Shorewood.blueprint, the London-based design and development centre for US-based Shorewood Packaging, works alongside Shorewood's European production plants to offer graphic and structural design, digital pre-press and production of home entertainment packaging and printed products throughout Europe. Shorewood.blueprint provides customers with innovation, cutting edge design and world class service in manufacturing, all supported by full colour proofing, CAD and prototype facilities."

ABOUT CARBONFUND.ORG

CarbonFund.org is the leading nonprofit carbon reduction and climate solutions organization, making it easy and affordable for individuals, businesses and organizations to reduce their climate impact by supporting third-party validated renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects. CarbonFund.org has over 600,000 individual supporters and works with over 1,800 business and nonprofit partners. For more information, visit www.carbonfund.org.

To learn more about Sunlyte's products visit www.sunlytealliance.com.

SOURCE Sunlyte LLC