The retailer collected 37.4 percent more cartridges in the first quarter than the previous year.
The company noted that it “gives customers the option to drop off used ink and toner cartridges at every store location”, with 940,938 cartridges collected in the first quarter of 2015 alone. This was a 37.4 percent increase on the previous year, and Staples Canada added that it “has set out to collect three million ink [and toner] cartridges” in 2015.
The company also collected 96,847 cartridges through its Driver Take Back Programme, in which delivery drivers “collect used batteries, electronics and ink [and toner] cartridges from customers when delivering orders”. This programme, active in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia, also collected 7,691.5 kilogrammes of electronics and 59.9 kilogrammes of batteries.
Other sustainability achievements in the first quarter included collecting a total of 37,111 kilogrammes of batteries, 930,475 kilogrammes of electronics and 33,412 “writing instruments”. The retailer commented that the results show “continued progress in recycling and energy efficiency”, with “eco-conscious schools” also asked to order free recycling bins for cartridges as part of Staples’ Canada School Recycling Programme, which seeks to “divert ink and toner cartridges from landfills”.
[adrotate banner=”248″]
The company has also begun equipping its Copy & Print Centres in stores with “the latest in energy-efficient technology” and “eco-responsible options”, such as “reducing the environmental impact of energy-intensive” print jobs, choosing “eco-conscious” paper and offering a “secure shredding service”.
Pete Gibel, Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Chair of the Staples Canada Environmental Committee, commented: “We’ve made significant progress on the sustainability front, and we are continuing our momentum this year. Our goal is to enable our associates to raise the bar and give our customers more eco-responsible options than ever.”
Staples subsidiary Quill.com recently revealed it had recycled four million cartridges, while the entire company announced that it had recycled over 60 million cartridges last year. Staples Canada meanwhile reported in 2014 that it collected 710,000 cartridges in 2Q2014.