Fuji Xerox leads the clean up

Futureproof: Fuji Xerox reprocesses and recycles 98 per cent of its devices much of it in this Sydney facility opened in 2000

Fuji Xerox gained further recognition for its sustainability lead in the printing industry last week, bagging the Environmental Sustainability Award in the 2010 Australian Business Awards. The award stems largely for work done at its Sydney-based Eco-Manufacturing Centre, a decade-old reprocessing centre, to reassemble and reuse components of its print devices. The centre, which has also been recognised on the United Nations Global 500 Roll of Honour, which honours excellence in achievement for the environment, reprocesses more than 230,000 printer components a year from as far afield as Japan. This represents roughly 4000 tonnes of electronic waste, which would otherwise go to landfill.

The company’s focus on sustainable business practices also leaves it well placed to withstand expected changes to the national waste and product stewardship legislation, which is due to come before parliament in February 2011. In line with similar legislation that has been enacted in several states in the United States and throughout the European Union, the government will create a framework for manufacturers to enter into voluntary product stewardship arrangements to ensure their goods are recycled or reprocessed when the useability is exhausted. Discussion papers being circulated in the industry also offer the possibility of mandatory arrangements, in the case that a voluntary scheme cannot be agreed upon.

Products and materials in the product stewardship arrangements include goods that contain hazardous or toxic substances, have the potential for resource recovery, or place a substantial burden on jurisdictions such as local councils.

BRW

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