HP Empowers Customers to Print Responsibly with New Products, Expanded Recycling Options
Responsibly sourced paper and expanded return and recycling program meet customer demand for more environmentally sustainable printing solutions
PALO ALTO, Calif., April 16, 2013 /3BL Media/ - HP today announced new products and expanded solutions that enable printing customers to reduce their environmental impact while benefitting from the quality and reliability of Original HP printing supplies.
The new offerings include a complete line of sustainably sourced papers and the addition of Office Depot as HP’s newest retail recycling ally.
An industry leader in the shift to more environmentally sustainable printing, HP is leveraging key relationships with manufacturing, retail and nongovernmental organization (NGO) partners to provide customers with products and solutions designed with the environment in mind—from design and manufacturing to use and recycling.
“Our customers want printing solutions that offer quality and reliability, with proven environmental performance,” said Annukka Dickens, director, Americas Environmental Leadership Team, HP. “HP’s approach includes innovative and environmentally sustainable product design, and free and easy return and recycling to help customers reach their sustainability goals.”
100 percent of HP Everyday Office Papers now FSC-certified(1)
The HP Everyday Paper line in North America is now certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), making HP one of the region’s first major original equipment manufacturer (OEM) office paper brands(2) to offer a complete portfolio of papers that is entirely FSC certified. This North American certification joins HP’s existing FSC certified portfolio in Latin America.
HP is working in collaboration with long-time ally International Paper Company (IPC) to use fiber from responsibly managed forests. More than 40 percent of HP’s total tonnage worldwide is now FSC-certified and/or contains at least 30 percent post-consumer waste. HP’s goal is that 50 percent or more of HP-branded paper will be FSC-certified or have at least 30 percent post-consumer waste content by the end of 2015.
The FSC has earned a global reputation as one of the most rigorous and credible independent certification standards available for ensuring that products come from responsibly managed forests. The overall mission of the FSC is to meet this generation’s need for forest products without compromising the health of the world’s forests for future generations.
Expanded recycling options for customers
HP’s industry-leading cartridge return and recycling program, HP Planet Partners, enables customers to responsibly recycle used Original HP cartridges, and empowers them to play a key role in the effectiveness of the company’s “closed loop” plastics recycling process.
With a mission to ensure easy supplies’ recycling for global customers, HP now offers the convenient and free HP Planet Partners recycling program in 56 countries and territories, allowing customers around the world to return used HP cartridges by simply visiting www.hp.com/recycle or HP Authorized Retail Collection locations to return used HP cartridges.
To date, HP customers worldwide have recycled more than half a billion HP ink and LaserJet toner cartridges with HP Planet Partners.(3) Through this and other efforts, HP aims to recycle 3.5 billion pounds of electronic products and supplies by the end of 2015.
Collaborating with retailers such as Office Depot, Office Max, Staples and Walmart, HP is expanding its cartridge collection network, which is anticipated to include more than 9,000 retail outlets worldwide. Office Depot, in its inaugural year supporting HP’s Planet Partner efforts, will offer HP ink recycling in more than 1,100 stores across the United States. Staples has supported HP recycling efforts for more than five years and expanded in 2012 to include hardware recycling across North America. Together, HP and Staples have collected more than 40 million pounds of ink and toner cartridges and hardware for recycling. Walmart brings the largest network of retail drop-off locations with more than 3,500 stores.
Measuring recycling results by the billions
HP’s groundbreaking “closed loop” plastics recycling process uses plastic from recycled Original HP ink and toner cartridges and other post-consumer sources to create new Original HP cartridges. To date, HP has used more than 118 million pounds of recycled content—keeping 280 million cartridges(3) and a milestone of 2 billion post-consumer plastic bottles out of landfills.
In addition, when compared to new (or virgin) plastic, the recycled plastic used in HP ink cartridges produced in 2010 and beyond has up to an estimated 33 percent smaller carbon footprint than virgin plastic in Original HP ink cartridges—even when accounting for the impact associated with collecting, transporting and processing used cartridges and plastic bottles. Plus, this plastic is estimated to reduce total water used by up to 89 percent.(4)
HP uses recycled materials extensively in packaging, including recycled content paperboard, corrugated cardboard and recycled plastic.(3) As the world’s largest provider of information technology (IT) infrastructure, software, services and solutions, HP is in a unique position to respond to the challenge of reducing energy use and waste. HP sees unprecedented opportunities to transform the way the world lives and works while helping its customers thrive.
(1) HP papers certified under FSC C0175432011.
(2) According to NPD data 2012 (www.npd.com).
(3) Based on internal HP data.
(4) For cartridges produced in 2010 and beyond. Based on a 2010 life-cycle assessment (LCA) performed by Four Elements Consulting and commissioned by HP. The study compared the environmental impact of using polyethylene terephthalate plastic (PET) with the environmental impact of using recycled PET to manufacture new Original HP cartridges. Details are available at www.hp.com/go/RecycledPlasticsLCA. Amount collected since beginning of respective programs.
About HP
HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure to solve customer problems. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.
