HP today announced the expansion of its product return and recycling programme to reach more customers and create new ways for people to discard used or unwanted electronic equipment in a convenient and environmentally responsible manner.
The company will host a series of product collection events in the United States throughout the summer to raise awareness and increase the rate of electronics recycling among consumers. These events are similar to a number of pilot studies and initiatives that HP has been running throughout Europe in preparation for the European Union’s Waste and Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.
“Customers are integral to our worldwide commitment to the environment,” said John Frey, manager, Corporate Environmental Strategies, HP. “It is critical that we work with communities to explore innovative approaches to electronics recycling, so we can continue to offer the most environmentally responsible solution available while providing our customers with convenient choices.”
In Europe HP is committed to providing efficient and cost effective recycling services. Even though the WEEE Directive has now been implemented in most EU countries, HP is continually exploring the most efficient and cost effective way to take products back from customers and ensure they are recycled.
In countries that have implemented WEEE, HP is addressing its recycling responsibilities through the European Recycling Platform (ERP), which was founded to ensure efficient and low cost recycling. The ERP, a compliance scheme, is running take-back and recycling operations for waste from electrical and electronic equipment in Austria, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Germany and Poland
Recent research by HP into the real costs of implementing the WEEE Directive in relation to the end product price for consumers has found that costs in countries with competitive recycling systems are lower than initially predicted. Calculations point to a cost of around 7 Euro cents in Germany, 20 Euro cents in Spain and 39 Euro cents in Austria for every HP Notebook PC sold. The costs are higher in countries such as Belgium and Switzerland which don’t have competitive systems.
In countries such as the UK and Italy where the WEEE Directive has not yet been implemented, HP is running pilot product collection events to assess and prepare for the quantity and mix of equipment that consumers return.
In the UK at a recent event in south London, local residents returned 3.5 tonnes of WEEE. In Italy, HP is organising an event to take place in Rome in the second half of 2006 in conjunction with the municipal authorities. The information on the amount and type of unwanted equipment returned at the event will be shared with academics, public and private sector bodies to help prepare Italy for the implementation of the Directive.
Pilot studies have been proven to be a success in Germany where collection days were held in 2004. This meant when the Directive has become effective in 2006, HP and municipalities were well prepared for the volume and type of products returned. To further encourage recycling, earlier this year, HP launched take-back programmes in Reutlingen and Oberursel, Germany, and awarded educational or social institutions one HP computer or printer in exchange of each tonne of waste. This initiative led to the collection of 28 tonnes of old IT equipment in both locations in just one week.
In Europe, HP also offers a free recycling service for its commercial and enterprise customers to return their IT hardware to designated collection points. Business customers can access the service using a new recycling web order tool. Once the products have been sent to the collection point HP’s approved recycling contractor will recycle the products to the standards prescribed by the WEEE Directive.
HP’s recycling programme operates globally in more than 40 countries, regions and territories and seeks to reduce the environmental impact of IT products, minimize waste going to landfills and help customers conveniently discard products in an environmentally sound fashion.
HP is on target to meet its global goal to recycle 1 billion pounds of hardware (450,000 kilos) and HP print cartridges by the end of 2007. In 2005, HP recycled approximately 140 million pounds of hardware and HP print cartridges globally – an increase of 17 percent over the previous year. Since the company began recycling, it has recycled 750 million pounds in total.
HP introduced the Planet Partners return and recycling programme for LaserJet print cartridges in 1991 and for HP inkjet print cartridge return in 1997. As of December 2005, 112 million HP LaserJet and HP inkjet print cartridges had been returned and recycled worldwide. In March 2006, this programme was expanded to cover Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovenia, bringing the total to 26 countries in EMEA.
In addition to working closely with customers, HP proactively engages with external stakeholders to anticipate emerging environmental issues and legislation. HP advocates for a producer responsibility approach to e-waste legislation whereby all stakeholders play a role in managing the proper end-of-life management of products.
More information on HP’s return and recycling programme is available at www.hp.com/recycle.
HP believes that environmental sustainability is not an option, but an imperative. Dedicated to making a positive impact on society and the environment, HP’s environmental sustainability programme includes emission, energy consumption and waste reduction; chemical elimination; materials innovation; recycling and product return. As part of this ongoing commitment to responsible product design, manufacturing and disposal, HP offers a variety of programmes to encourage environmental responsibility among its customers and employees. For more information visit http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitizenship/environment/index.html.
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2006, HP revenue totaled .9 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.
