Canon to Celebrate 25 Years in Toner Cartridge Recycling

Global recycling bases and countries where cartridges are collected by Canon Toner Cartridge Recycling Program

According to Canon, 2015 will mark the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the Canon Toner Cartridge Recycling Program, aiming to achieve zero landfill waste by reusing parts, recycling materials and employing energy recovery.

Since it was first launched in 1990, the program has collected approximately 320,000 metric tons of used toner cartridges until the end of December 2013.

It now operates in 26 countries worldwide, supported by four global recycling bases: Canon Ecology Industry Inc. in Japan; Canon Dalian Business Machines, Inc. in China; Canon Virginia, Inc. in the United States of America; and Canon Bretagne S.A.S. in France.

Since 2003, all four global recycling bases have continuously carried out recycling with zero landfill waste. As a result, as of the end of December 2013, the use of new resources has been reduced by approximately 220,000 metric tons while CO2 emissions have been cut by approximately 480,000 metric tons.

To celebrate the program’s 25th anniversary, Canon plans to expand its recycling-themed eco-lesson visits to elementary schools in Japan next year. Featuring an experiment involving the separation of materials made of plastics and metals, these special lessons will complement science classes taught at the schools, providing insight into the properties of various materials.