Initiates RBRC's Call2Recycle(TM) Program at All U.S. and Canadian
Retail Locations
DELRAY BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 2004--
Buying or receiving a new cell phone this holiday season, but not
sure of what to do with your old one? Recycle it -- and do something
good for the environment!
Office Depot (NYSE:ODP) now offers consumers a convenient and
cost-free method for recycling old cell phones and rechargeable
batteries.
Partnering with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation
(RBRC), a nonprofit, public service organization dedicated to
recycling rechargeable batteries and cell phones, Office Depot is now
collecting used phones and rechargeable batteries for recycling at all
960 Office Depot locations in the U.S. and Canada.
"Office Depot sells Sprint, Nextel and T-Mobile wireless products
and services, as well as a large variety of other electronics and
business machines that use rechargeable batteries," said Tyler Elm,
Director of Environmental Affairs for Office Depot. "The holiday
season is the perfect time to introduce our free, in-store cell phone
and rechargeable battery recycling program as many consumers are
looking to upgrade to the latest technologies. We urge consumers to
make the smart choice by bringing their old cell phones and
rechargeable batteries to Office Depot for free recycling and safe
disposal during this purchase process."
Office Depot will collect (free of charge) all old cell phones and
used rechargeable batteries for recycling, including Nickel Cadmium
(Ni-Cd), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH), Lithium Ion (Li-ion), and Small
Sealed Lead (Pb) weighing less than 2 lbs/1 kg. These batteries are
also commonly found in other portable office electronics products
including cordless phones, laptop computers, PDAs, digital cameras,
and portable printers.
While rechargeable batteries reduce waste by being reused again
and again -- replacing between 50 to 300 single-use disposal batteries
-- they contain potentially harmful chemicals and should be safely
disposed of at your local Office Depot store instead of in normal
household trash.
"We are pleased that Office Depot has decided to integrate RBRC's
battery and cell phone recycling program into its stores," said Ralph
Millard, Executive Vice President, RBRC. "It's partnerships like these
that have greatly increased our efforts to recycle as many
rechargeable batteries and cell phones as possible nationwide."
All rechargeable batteries collected in partnership with RBRC are
recycled in a state-of-the-art metals reclamation facility in Ellwood
City, Pennsylvania, with no by-products being sent to a landfill.
Nickel and iron recovered from batteries are used in the production of
stainless steel; cadmium is purified and used in Ni-Cd rechargeable
batteries. Cell phones are refurbished, recycled or resold when
possible. A portion of the proceeds received from the resale benefits
select charities, such as Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Cell Phone and Battery Facts
According to research and industry studies:
-- By 2005, roughly 200 million cell phones will be in use in the
U.S., and approximately 130 million phones will be retired each
year.(1)
-- A total of 500 million used cell phones weighing more than 250,000
tons are estimated to be currently stockpiled, awaiting
disposal.(1)
-- Cell phones contain hazardous substances, which can pollute the
air when burned in incinerators and leach into soil and drinking
water when buried in landfills.(1)
-- The average American cell phone user has a total of three or more
cell phones in their possession.(2)
-- More than 56% of the American population still stores their old
cell phones and over 70% are not aware that cell phones can be
recycled.(2)
-- 95% of Americans own at least one type of cordless product powered
by rechargeable batteries. Americans use an average of five
cordless products in their daily lives.(3)
-- Since 1996, more than 25 million pounds of rechargeable batteries
have been collected by RBRC and diverted from entering the solid
waste stream. That's equivalent to the weight of approximately
1,260 yellow school buses.(3)
(1) Conducted by environmental nonprofit INFORM, Inc.
(2) Conducted by market research firm NOP World
(3) RBRC
"With such a high level of product turnover, we think our
customers will appreciate Office Depot's convenient, long-term
solution for recycling old cell phones and rechargeable batteries,"
Elm said. "We are happy to have a partner like RBRC to make this
environmental service a reality."
Office Depot Electronics Recycling
Office Depot's cell phone and battery recycling program is one of
the many initiatives the retailer has undertaken to promote
environmental stewardship. In July 2004, Office Depot launched the
first free nationwide electronics recycling drive. The seven-week
program at all of Office Depot's U.S. locations, collected more than
10.5 million pounds unwanted consumer electronics -- more than 450
tractor trailer loads -- for recycling.
This was the largest single electronics recycling event in U.S.
history with Office Depot collecting nearly 5,000 cell phones and more
than 320,000 other consumer electronics during the drive, many of
which used a rechargeable power source.
Other environmental initiatives by Office Depot, including the
Industry's first independently audited Environmental Stewardship
Report, can be viewed at www.officedepot.com/environment.
Editor's Note: Consumers or businesses may contact Office Depot
regarding more information or to pass along suggestions via email at
environment@officedepot.com. The news media contact for RBRC is
Theresa Hall, Manager of Communications, 678-419-9990, thall@rbrc.com.
About Office Depot
Office Depot's environmental initiatives center on three guiding
principles: Recycling and Pollution Reduction; Sustainable Forest
Management; and Issue Awareness and Market Development for
environmentally preferable products. Office Depot was honored with the
United States Chamber of Commerce's Corporate Stewardship Award for
Large Companies in 2004, which recognizes businesses and chambers that
have demonstrated ethical leadership and corporate stewardship. Office
Depot is already the largest reseller of recycled paper and recycled
content products. In addition to the company's industry-leading 35%
post consumer waste content paper, Office Depot offers thousands of
different products containing recycled content and added new products
including 100% post consumer waste content papers during 2003.
With annual sales of more than $12 billion, no one sells more
office supplies to more customers in more countries than Office Depot.
Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla., the company
conducts business in 23 countries and employs nearly 50,000 people
worldwide.
Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel -- from
retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. The
company is the world's number three online retailer -- on track to
generate $3B in sales for FY'04. In North America, Office Depot has
923 retail stores in addition to a national business-to-business
delivery network supported by 22 delivery centers, more than 60 local
sales offices and 13 regional call centers.
The company's common stock is traded on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index.
Additional press information can be found at:
http://mediarelations.officedepot.com.
About RBRC
The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) is a
nonprofit, public service organization dedicated to rechargeable
battery and cell phone recycling. There are over 30,000 retail and
community collection locations that participate in RBRC's cell phone
and rechargeable battery recycling program throughout the U.S.(a) and
Canada ((a) 48 contiguous states). RBRC is funded by more than 300
manufacturers and marketers of portable rechargeable batteries and
products. RBRC's public education campaign and recycling program is
the result of the rechargeable power industry's commitment to conserve
natural resources and prevent cell phones and rechargeable batteries
from entering the solid waste stream. Cell phones collected through
the Call2Recycle(TM) program will be recycled or refurbished and
resold when possible with a portion of the proceeds benefiting select
charities. Contributions or gifts to RBRC are not tax deductible. For
more information, call 1-877-2-RECYCLE or visit www.call2recycle.org.
CONTACT: Office Depot, Delray Beach
Brian Levine, 561/438-2895
blevine@officedepot.com
SOURCE: Office Depot
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