Each year, 375 million used printer cartridges are thrown away, with most ending up in landfills or in incinerators. The global e-waste disposal market size is expected to reach $14 200 million by 2025, from $9 680.5 million in 2019. This mountain of waste can be reduced through recycling.
Recycling reduces air and water pollution and emissions associated with landfilling, incineration, or the manufacturing of new toner cartridges. It conserves our natural resources such as timber, water, oil, and minerals because it reduces the need for raw materials, and it helps save energy. Importantly, it also decreases emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to global climate change and helps to sustain the environment for future generations.
To help in the battle against e-waste, Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa (KDZA), in partnership with recycler Carbon Footprint Recycling, is calling on businesses to act responsibly and accountably by disposing of empty toner cartridges and waste toner bottles in the proper manner.
“Consumption of toner is on the rise and the volume of waste is increasing,” says Paul Wendlandt, customer services support manager, Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa. “How we treat toner waste today is important, both for corporate citizenship and the environment. We need to start changing our habits and finding useful things to do with this waste.
That’s why we are encouraging businesses to participate in our recycle, reduce and re-use programme. ”Fergus Slattery, director at Carbon Footprint Recycling, recites a quote from Robert Swan that says: "'The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.'"We can’t think that when we throw things away, they are gone. They have to go somewhere, and I wanted to find a sustainable way of creating re-use of printer cartridges because putting them into the dustbin is not an option.
When we proposed a recycling concept to Kyocera, an exciting partnership was born.”The recycling process is straightforward. Companies simply send a participation request to Kyocera and agree to the administration fee. They will then receive a recycling bin to collect all makes of used printer cartridges, along with a plastic liner. When the bin is full, the organisation requests a collection from Kyocera and the full waste bin liner is swapped for a new one.
The waste will be delivered to Carbon Footprint Recycling for processing. Nothing goes into landfills. The recycled cartridges are turned into concrete-based planter boxes, which will either be given to the participating organisations for their own use or will be given to communities where urban farmers can use them to grow vegetables.
“By participating in this initiative, not only are companies keeping things green, but also allowing for employment and community upliftment,” says Wendlandt. “As Kyocera’s philosophy reminds us, the highest calling for a person is to serve the greater good of humanity and the world. ”Companies that participate will benefit from hassle-free good corporate responsibility and citizenship, earn enterprise development points, and receive a recycling certificate every quarter, providing proof of participation that contributes to compliance with the Waste Act.
For more information, e-mail collections@dza.kyocera.co.za, or call +27 (0)11 595 2711.
Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa
Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa is a group company of Kyocera Document Solutions Inc., a global leading provider of total document solutions based in Osaka, Japan. The company’s portfolio includes reliable and eco-friendly MFPs and printers, as well as business applications and consultative services which enable customers to optimize and manage their document workflow, reaching new heights of efficiency. With professional expertise and a culture of empathetic partnership, the objective of the company is to help organisations put knowledge to work to drive change.For further information visit www.kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.za
Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
Kyocera Document Solutions Inc. is a core company of Kyocera Corporation, a leading supplier of semiconductor packages, industrial and automotive components, electronic devices, solar power generating systems, and mobile phones. During the year ended March 31, 2019, Kyocera Corporation’s consolidated sales revenue totalled 1.62 trillion yen (approx. US$14.6 billion). Kyocera appears on the “Derwent Top 100 Global Innovators 2018-19” list by Clarivate Analytics and is ranked #655 on Forbes magazine’s 2019 “Global 2000” list of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.
