Why is sustainability & recycling important in business?
Sustainability should no longer be used as a throw away term within companies, but rather should be considered within business strategies. Organisations that fail to consider sustainability measures could lose a competitive edge.
When it comes to technology, sustainability is front of mind for customers and employees. Price is no longer the only aspect that guides people’s purchasing decisions – many people now consider a brand’s sustainable credentials as well, as does potential talent.
Attitudes towards business sustainability
Recent research, conducted by Epson, into attitudes towards sustainability suggests that environmental and social issues are important to 71% of people, whether they’re in consumer mode, making personal purchase decisions (31%) or when looking at the organisations they work for (32%)*. Ecological concerns are very much in the social conscious now. So, it’s not surprising that 75% of people believe employers should focus more on social and environmental issues in the wake of COVID-19.
Despite the increased significance of sustainable business practices, many corporations are still playing catch up. Only 24% of decision-makers believe that environmental impact considerations are fully incorporated in return-to-work plans, and only 33% of business decision-makers believe that ecological and social impact will be significantly more important post-COVID. This contrasts with the 75% of consumers and employees who buy from and work for them.
Just taking small measures towards being a more sustainable company can make a huge difference, both to the environment and to customers’ perceptions of a brand.
Recycling technology & consumables
One step you can take to becoming a more sustainable business is how you handle business waste disposal. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs estimates 19% of all waste generated in the UK came from commercial and industrial waste.** Businesses contribute a large proportion of waste within the UK and have a responsibility to choose a sustainable route where possible.
Plastic waste is one of the most urgent environmental issues of our time. Less than 10% of the plastic we use is recycled, and there’s currently an estimated 100 million tons of plastic in oceans around the world.*** With landfill sites under more and more strain by the day, it’s time to take an active role in recycling. That’s not just the typical paper and card, but old technology, accessories, and consumables too. Many materials can be reclaimed and reused. If it's sat in a cupboard somewhere or you don't know where it goes to when you do send it for waste, it is worthwhile taking action.
Reduce business waste with Epson’s cartridge collection & recycling programme
Epson’s recycling programme aims to collect and recycle as many products and consumables as possible to reduce waste and conserve valuable environmental resources.
When Epson develop products, they have sustainability and a circular economy in mind. This starts from product conception through to the finished product and the recycling programme.
Printer cartridge recycling- where do the consumables go?
The collected consumables are sorted and professionally recycled by Epson’s certified recycling service provider Cycleon. The valuable raw materials contained in the products, such as various plastics and metals, are separated and processed if necessary and then fed back into the resource cycle. On average 95% of the collected material can be recycled. The remaining 5% are non-recyclable materials that are used to generate energy.
In 2019, almost 150,000 kg of Epson consumables were recycled across Europe.
Choose a collection system to suit your business
There are different collection systems tailored to various Epson printers. Depending on the size and quantity of consumables, different collection containers are available. For example:
Envelopes for small quantities (11.5 x 14 x 4 cm)
Standard collection boxes (58 x 47 x 39 cm)
Large collection boxes (75 x 58 x 39 cm)
How to get involved
The service is free of charge, simply register at epson-recycling.cycleon.eu. You can order suitable collection containers for your empty consumables via the website. Bulk envelopes can be sent via the post free of charge, while collection boxes are delivered and picked up by Epson’s service provider.
Taking part means these plastics and metals can be reclaimed and reused, instead of adding to the pile of resources ending up in landfill or in our oceans.
Being simple and free of charge, Epson’s cartridge collection and recycling programme is a great first step in becoming a more sustainable business.
About our partnership
The Barcode Warehouse is an Epson Gold partner and was awarded Epson Colorworks Project of the Year 2021. This status came after supporting the efficient rollout of COVID 19 testing early in the pandemic.
Sources
** https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-waste-data UK Statistics on Waste- July 2021 update.
*** https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/partner-content-innovations-in-recycling
