NEWS | GREEN THINKING 2013
Schneider staff Stora Enso responds to e-bike take-up NGO Chennai report hits 15% More than 15% of staff at German writing instrument manufacturer Schneider now commute by electric bicycle following the launch of a scheme last year. The initiative, inspired by CEO Roland Schneider – a keen cyclist – has almost 50 employees using ‘e-bikes’ to get to and from the office each day. Workers that sign up get a free e-bike that they can also use in their spare time. The only requirement is that they must use it at least 80 times a year to travel to work. More than 50,000 kilometres of commuting distance are now covered by e-bike instead of car – well ahead of Schneider’s original target – and the initiative has been recognised by the local authorities in the manufacturer’s home region of Baden-Württemberg.
Staples reaches recycling milestone Staples announced in August that it had recycled 350 million ink and toner cartridges since 2005, averaging more than 60 million per year for the past three years. Through its cartridge recycling programme, Staples has recycled about 90 thousand tonnes of plastics and metals, roughly the equivalent weight of an aircraft carrier.
NGOs Finnwatch and Swedwatch have released a report on an investigation into Stora Enso’s Inpac Delta India Chennai Mill facility. The report recognises the decrease in the mill’s work-related accidents, but finds several deficiencies in Chennai Mill’s working conditions and safety practices. The report also criticises the living conditions of low-wage employees and lack of positive discrimination practices. “We welcome the report and would like to thank Finnwatch and Swedwatch for the co-operation and constructive dialogue we had during the process,” said Mats Nordlander, EVP Stora Enso Renewable Packaging. “We agree with many findings of the report and some
of the findings we are investigating further. There are also findings we do not agree with, such as the company not reporting all accidents.” He continued: “Our staff in Chennai have made good progress on sustainability and the mill is now on the right path. However, we are never fully satisfied with our performance and we are now focusing on several occupational health and safety issues at the mill, some of which were noted in the Mats Nordlander report.”
New e-waste recycling initiative FundingFactory, Clover Technologies’ collection programme for schools and non-profits, has launched an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling scheme called COLLECTED, which allows higher education institutions to exchange e-waste for cash or rewards. COLLECTED pays higher education establishments for collecting used inkjet and toner printer cartridges, cell phones, MP3 players, digital cameras and laptops. Through online accounts at FundingFactory.com, participants can track their reuse and recycle rates, raw materials breakdown, carbon emission offsets, as well as shipments and earnings. “As sustainability becomes a primary focus for colleges and
universities, disposing of e-waste in a safe and efficient manner is of upmost importance to eco-minded student bodies around the country,” said COLLECTED Channel Development Manager Conor MacDowell. “COLLECTED offers a 100% free recycling solution for e-waste, while also providing promotional materials to support each school’s collection programme.”
OPI MAGAZINE
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