Staples stores to recycle e-waste
By: Joe Truini
May 28, 2007
Small businesses may benefit the most from the first nationwide retail-run electronics recycling program.
Staples Inc. is the first major retailer to offer consumers and businesses an outlet for their unwanted, outdated electronics every day at every one of its stores, not just during local collection events lasting one or two days.
The office products firm will accept any brand of computer, laptop, monitor, printer or fax machine at any of its U.S. locations, whether or not it was bought at a Staples store. Consumers pay a $10 fee to cover handling, transport, disassembly and recycling.
``It's not always easy being green. However, through the leadership of Staples, Americans will see that preventing pollution by recycling unwanted electronics is as easy as it gets,'' said Stephen Johnson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Staples also will accept smaller electronic items, such as mice, keyboards and other peripherals, free of charge. It announced the nationwide recycling program May 21.
Amandi Inc., based in Hallstead, Pa., will provide recycling services for Staples.
``I think it's really going to fill the void for small businesses,'' said Greg Vorhees, director of East Coast operations for Amandi.
Small companies often face a dilemma when dealing with obsolete electronics, he said. On one hand, it's illegal for them to dispose of electronics in landfills or incinerators. On the other hand, consumer programs and collection events are only open to residents, not commercial entities, and paying for the transportation and recycling of a few pieces of electronic waste can be cost-prohibitive, Vorhees said.
``It gives them an option to do it in a cost-effective manner,'' he said.
Vorhees said he believes the program will have a large impact on his company, bringing in 40 million to 80 million pounds of electronics a year.
``We know that small businesses and consumers want to recycle their used office technology but are often frustrated by the lack of convenient options available,'' said Mark Buckley, vice president of environmental affairs for Framingham, Mass.-based Staples. ``By making it easy to recycle, Staples helps customers take action in handling e-waste in an environmentally responsible way.''
Staples based its program on the results from a 2004 pilot project conducted at 27 stores in five New England states - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The company collaborated with the EPA and the Product Stewardship Institute and recovered 57 tons of electronic waste in six weeks.
``The Staples program shows that retailers can take back used consumer products from their customers just as easily as they currently take back damaged or unwanted products,'' said Scott Cassel, executive director of the PSI. ``The pilot showed that consumers and businesses will respond if given the chance to recycle consumer electronics.''
The PSI found Staples' retail program was a viable collection system to complement and expand existing electronic waste infrastructure.
Contact Waste News reporter Joe Truini at (330) 865-6166 or