Sustainable packaging: Kyocera expands revamps consumer packaging, receives 10th consecutive recycling award
January 30, 2014
As part of its comprehensive environmental programs, Kyocera has revamped its consumer packaging to greatly reduce plastic and eliminate paper user guides – opting for online or on-phone versions instead. As a result of this and many other environmental initiatives, Kyocera Communications Inc. (KCI), provider of Kyocera- and Sanyo-branded wireless devices, has been awarded its tenth consecutive recycling award from the City of San Diego's Environmental Services Department (ESD). The Director's Recycling Award is one of the city's highest environmental honors and marks Kyocera's 17th environmental award from the city to date – more than any other business in San Diego, according to the ESD.
Despite the challenging economic climate in 2009, Kyocera remained steadfast in its efforts to continually improve its recycling and waste-reduction programs, the results of which proved to be both good for the environment and the bottom line. Last year, Kyocera recycled more than 71,000 pounds of paper, plastic, electronic and other waste that would otherwise have gone to a landfill. The company also used more than 2 million gallons of reclaimed water, primarily for irrigation, which has become even more crucial in drought-impacted California. Kyocera reduced waste by 74 percent compared to 2008, in which the company also won the Director’s Recycling Award.
While these practices are very much in keeping with Kyocera’s founding philosophy of “harmonious coexistence,” they also make great business sense. Through Kyocera’s many environmental programs, the company impacted its bottom line by more than $825,000 through recycling revenue, energy conservation and cost avoidance in 2009.
"We commend companies like Kyocera who continue to reduce their environmental impact and improve their programs even in the face of tough economic times,” said San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. “Comprehensive programs like Kyocera’s reduce demand for additional landfill space, reduce greenhouse gases and help to preserve San Diego’s beauty and natural resources for future generations."
Kyocera’s key environmental practices and highlights from 2009 included:
* Greatly Reduced Use of Paper: Documents are scanned and emailed rather than distributed on paper, while presentations are done with computers and LCD projectors. Faxes are sent directly from computers rather than printing originals and, when copies are necessary, they’re printed double sided to reduce use of paper.
* Reduced Packaging & Materials: Consumer product packaging has been designed to remove as much plastic as possible. The size of retail packaging has been reduced up to 55 percent to help improve transport efficiency and reduce fuel costs. User guides for phones are provided online or through phone support. Storage and packaging boxes are made from recycled plastic materials and, in many cases, re-usable materials.
* Recycle-mania: The Company recycled more than 71,000 pounds of cardboard, mixed paper, electronic scrap and wood. KCI also includes links on its Web site to organizations that recycle phones to benefit various charitable causes.
* Waste Reduction: Waste sent to San Diego landfills was reduced by 74 percent compared to KCI’s award-winning efforts in 2008. The total volume of recycled waste diverted from the landfill in 2009 was 71,700 pounds.
* Reclaimed Water: Kyocera also continued a reclaimed-water program initiated in 2003, averting the use of more than 2 million gallons of potable fresh water (enough to service 32 average households for one year).
* Energy Conservation: Careful energy conservation and work-area consolidation yielded savings of more than 5 million kWh (enough to power 1,042 average homes for one year).
“Environmental practices have been a key component of our company’s philosophy for more than 50 years,” said Eiichi Toriyama, president of KCI. "There is always more we can do to help conserve our natural resources and we will continue to support our employees’ efforts to develop cutting-edge programs that benefit future generations."
More information about KCI, including the company’s ISO-14001 certification for environmental management systems, is available at www.kyocera-wireless.com. Information about Kyocera Corporation’s global environmental and social responsibility efforts is available at http://global.kyocera.com/company/csr.
SOURCE: Kyocera Communications, Inc.
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