The OEM continues to work on the social and environmental impact in Haiti.
HP has been involved in the social and environmental issues in Haiti for some time and its joint initiatives to help improve the lives of the children who collect the bottles and other recyclable materials by assisting with education opportunities and scholarships and also making sure they have access to medical care.
HP stated that: “By making Haiti a starting point of the supply chain, HP is going beyond the boundaries of its sustainable legacy by enabling social and environmental change”. The company has just released its first original HP ink cartridges made with the recycled plastic from collected bottles on the island.
The new cartridges were made possible through close collaboration with Thread and the First Mile Coalition. The launch demonstrates HP’s efforts to “reinvent how products are designed, manufactured, used and recovered” in the move towards a circular and low-carbon economy.
The OEM made a commitment last year to purchase the recycled plastic in Haiti which has led to market opportunity, generated a steady revenue stream and partnered others to improve workers conditions in Haiti. As well as creating jobs this brings dignity to the collectors of recyclables while creating sustainable cartridges and prevents the Caribbean Sea getting even more polluted.
The Recycler reported on the problems in Haiti last year when HP attended a Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meeting, HP Inc and partners “announced a three-year programme” to aid the families who work at the landfill by giving them “educational opportunities”, which include “more than 200 scholarships”, medical examinations and “health and safety training”.
Also reported was the Thread announcement of the partnership with Timberland, who make outdoor clothing, HP Inc. and the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and that between them $300,000 (€267,330) would be provided for funding. https://www.therecycler.com/posts/thread-international-starts-three-year-project/
Stuart Pann, Chief Supply Chain Officer, HP Inc said: “HP has been committed to sourcing materials responsibly and treating all workers with respect for decades. Our work in Haiti enables us to reach the vulnerable collectors in Haiti and make their plastic part of our supply chain—which creates economic opportunities and a better quality of life for these families.”
Founder and CEO of Thread, Ian Rosenberger, commented: “Sustainable supply chains have to start from the bottom up, and the First Mile of the supply chain is where we thriveWhile Thread usually makes yarn for apparel brands, some of the waste Thread entrepreneurs process is more suited for other products. In this case, we are proud this partnership can expand Thread’s mission to improve working conditions for collectors and create consistent urban markets for the poor.”