The company set its initial goal in 2004 after it had reached the half billion pound mark. It went on to recycle a further half billion pounds in the ensuing three years.

HP is now committing to recover a cumulative 2 billion pounds of electronics and print cartridges by the end of 2010, doubling its annual recovery rate.

"Environmental responsibility is good business," says Mark Hurd, HP chairman and chief executive officer.

"We’ve reached the tipping point where the price and performance of IT are no longer compromised by being green, but are now enhanced by it."

In 2006 alone, HP recovered 187 million pounds of electronics globally, 73 per cent more than IBM, its closest competitor¹.

HP says it has been a leader in environmental responsibility for decades. Its global environmental strategy is based on designing for the environment, which includes product design, as well as the management of HP’s own operations and supply chain.

HP says it is committed to:

• Making it practical and easy for customers to be environmentally responsible – from desktops to data centers, individuals to enterprises;
• Investing in research, product development and materials innovation to further manage the environmental impacts of HP’s products;
• Working with the company’s partners and supply chain and engaging with regulators to make an industry-wide impact;
• Driving significant reductions in HP’s own environmental footprint, from the individual employee to global operations.

Recycling at HP

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the inception of HP recycling programmes, which now operate in more than 40 countries, regions and territories. The programmes seek to reduce the environmental impact of IT products, minimise waste going to landfills and help customers conveniently manage products at their end of life in an environmentally sound fashion.

Plastics and metals recovered from products recycled by HP have been used to make a range of new products, including auto body parts, clothes hangers, plastic toys, fence posts, serving trays and roof tiles.

In addition to recycling, HP offers a variety of product end-of-life management services including donation, trade-in, asset recovery and leasing.

HP and the environment

For decades, HP says it has worked to manage its environmental impact by adopting environmentally responsible practices in product development, operations and supply chain. The company strives to be a global leader in reducing its carbon footprint, limiting waste and recycling responsibly and its efforts earned for it recognition as one of Fortune magazine's Ten Green Giants in April 2007.

¹ IBM’s press release detailing its recycling efforts reported 108 million pounds recovered in 2006. HP recycled 164 million pounds and reused an additional 23 million pounds of electronics in the same year.

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