The OEM’s Kiwi division is throwing its weight behind the e-waste collection and recycling pilot programme.
According to Voxy, TechCollect operates through the Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP), OfficeMax, and Croxley Recycling, with a programme that allows residents to recycle “everything from printers to cameras, as well as continuing to recycle their toner and ink cartridges.”
The support from Canon is the latest embodiment of its kyosei corporate philosophy – living and working together for the common good.
It follows news that New Zealanders are among the world’s worst offenders for e-waste, with each person produced around 20kg per annum, according to the International Telecommunications Union.
TechCollect’s pilot programme aims to halt this trend, by diverting thousands of kilograms from landfill to drop-off recycling points, which are located at OfficeMax’s 16 retail locations through the country.
“We are constantly looking at ways to improve manufacturing, create energy efficient technologies, develop bio-based plastics and support programmes like TechCollect to ensure we are minimising waste and reusing it where possible,” explained Canon New Zealand CEO Kim Conner. “Canon aims to manufacture products using bio-based plastic and 100 percent recycled product. Everything from the plastics, aluminium, steel and toner powder are re-used or recycled.”
Chief Executive of ANZRP, Warren Overton, estimated that the pilot programme will recycle 50,000 kilograms of waste that would have otherwise found its way to landfill.
“As e-waste continues to grow, this programme which has been developed to capture end-of-life electronics and commit them to a downstream recycling, will go a long way to helping achieve a circular economy,” Overton said.
The e-waste will be collected from the OfficeMax stores and processed by Croxley Recycling, described as “New Zealand’s only Environmental Choice licensed e-waste recycler.” The company, which processes over 200 tonnes of recyclates each year, will ensure that regulatory requirements related to the collection, storage, transport and treatment of the waste, are met sufficiently.
