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Recycling

We make it easy for our customers to recycle by offering a variety of services, including options for recycling computers and office technology products, ink and toner cartridges, cell phones and other personal electronics, and rechargeable batteries. In our internal operations, we are committed to diverting materials from our waste stream.

Computer and Technology Trade-In and Recycling

Staples makes it easy for customers to recycle e–waste by simply bringing their used computers, monitors, laptops, and desktop printers, faxes and all–in–ones to any U.S. Staples store.

All brands are accepted, regardless of whether or not the equipment was purchased at Staples. A recycling fee of $10 per piece of large equipment is charged to cover handling, transport, product disassembly and recycling. Smaller computer peripherals such as keyboards, mice, and speakers are accepted at no charge.

Equipment is bagged and sealed when received at the Staples customer service desk. The equipment is then picked up and delivered to our recycling provider Eco International, who uses industry–leading standards for data destruction and disassembles the equipment into its component parts for environmentally responsible recycling.

Ink and Toner Cartridges

In 2006, Staples recycled more than 17 million ink and toner cartridges in the U.S. alone. We offer $3 back through Staples Rewards toward a future purchase of ink or toner when HP, Lexmark™ or original Dell cartridges are returned to our retail stores for recycling. Through our InkDropSM service, we're making it easy for customers to always have the ink they need. When a cartridge runs out, customers simply drop a new one in the printer and mail us the empty using the prepaid shipping materials. We send a replacement automatically, and all shipping is free.

Cell Phones and Rechargeable Batteries

We offer free recycling service programs to our customers for cellular phones, PDAs, pagers, digital cameras, and chargers through our nonprofit partner Collective Good, who refurbishes products where feasible or recycles them and donates a portion of the proceeds to charity. We also offer free rechargeable battery recycling to our customers in the U.S. and Canada. This service is offered in partnership with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation.

Internal Recycling Efforts

We recycle many items as part of our internal operations, including cardboard, mixed paper, fluorescent lamps, ink and toner cartridges, and personal electronics. We became a U.S. EPA WasteWise program partner in March of 2005 and look forward to continuing to expand and improve our waste diversion opportunities. We recycled more than 26,000 tons of cardboard and 1 million pounds of computer equipment and peripherals in 2006.