Business News
Staples Receives Prominent Environmental Leadership Award From the National Recycling Coalition
Monday 04. May 2009 - Recycling Initiatives Recognized as Industry Model
The National Recycling Coalition announced today that Staples is the recipient of the NRCs eleventh annual Recycling Works Award for its broad-reaching efforts to promote recycling and waste reduction among its customers and throughout its operations.
The award, presented at NRCs annual gala Tuesday, recognized Staples leadership in providing easy-to-use product recovery programs and eco-friendly product choices through its EcoEasy initiative making it easier for its customers to become effective environmental stewards.
“Staples is honored to be recognized by the National Recycling Coalitions Recycling Works Award,” said Mike Miles, Staples president and chief operating officer. “Were making it easy for our customers to recycle used office products, from empty ink cartridges to old printers, and to buy new products with recycled content.” Staples is the first national retailer to offer an every-day in-store technology recycling program. In 2008, Staples collected nearly 5 million pounds of technology waste for responsible recycling through its retail technology recycling program. The company is also one of the worlds leading ink recyclers. By accepting any brand or type of cartridge and allowing customers to earn $3 back in Staples Rewards for each cartridge recycled, Staples is on track to recycle 50 million cartridges in 2009.
“Staples environmental leadership and initiatives address two critical goals: expanding the infrastructure to economically capture more recycled materials and actively engaging the public in the act of recycling by making it easy and convenient,” said Ed Skernolis, acting executive director. “Their impressive environmental commitment and the impact of their programs make them an ideal recipient of NRC’s Recycling Works Award.”
In addition to its recycling services, Staples has been an industry leader in providing consumers with eco-friendly product options. Staples was the first retailer to offer its own brand of recycled content copy and print papers that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) – a leading certification standard for sustainable forest management. To reduce the environmental impact of product packaging, the company plans to eliminate the use of PVC and use at least 65 percent recycled content in its own brand product packaging by the end of this year.
Staples was also the first national copy and print operation to begin using 50% post-consumer recycled FSC-certified paper as the standard offering for high speed black and white copying at its Staples Copy & Print Centers.
Since 1998, the NRCs Recycling Works Award has honored an organization or individual who has demonstrated leadership in recycling and conservation of the environment. Previous recipients include The Coca-Cola Company, Dell, Inc., Starbucks, Waste Management Recycle America, McDonalds Corp. and Environmental Defense, to name a few.