|
Brother International Corporation (Canada) Ltd. 
 Recycle process of "Ink Cartridge Return Project" |
In Japan, printing product manufacturers and sellers have put out collection boxes at retail outlets to collect used ink cartridges of theirs. Moreover, in order to further improve collection rate, the Brother Group along with other printing product manufacturers and sellers launched an "Ink Cartridge Return Project" with post offices serving as a go-between in January 2007. Collection began at 3,638 post offices across the country in April 2008.* Because ink cartridges can be deposited regardless of the manufacturer, the project has been a success.
Used toner cartridges and drum units from printing products are being collected free of charge. Requests are accepted for one or more consumables via the company Web site, telephone or fax. Points are awarded for every consumable sent back to the company and seedlings are planted according to the number of points earned as part of an eco point program.
* Since November 2008, collection has been certified by order of the Ministry of the Environment as treating waste extensively according to the amended Waste Disposal and Public Cleansing Law.
Brother International Corporation (Canada) Ltd.
[North and South America]
Toner cartridge collection and recycling in Canada
In Canada, it is now possible to download prepaid shipping labels from the Web site of Brother International Corporation (Canada) Ltd. (BIC (CAN)). Users can return the toner cartridges they no longer need by packaging them, affixing the downloaded label and sending them back to BIC (CAN) free of charge.
Brother International Corporation (U.S.A.)
[North and South America]
Toner cartridge collection and recycling in the USA
 BIC (USA) Web site for toner/ink cartridge recycling |
In the USA, it is now possible to download prepaid shipping labels from the Web site of Brother International Corporation (U.S.A.) (BIC (USA)). Users can return the toner cartridges they no longer need by packaging them, affixing the downloaded label and sending back them to the company free of charge. BIC (USA) sorts the received toner cartridges. Some are reused, while other unusable ones are recycled.
Brother International De Mexico S.A. DE C.V.
[North and South America]
Toner cartridge collection in Mexico
In Mexico, Brother International De Mexico S.A. DE C.V. is collecting used toner cartridges.
Brother International De Chile LTDA.
[North and South America]
Toner cartridge collection in Chile
In Chile, Brother International De Chile LTDA. is collecting used toner cartridges.
Brother Industries (U.K.) Ltd.
Brother Industries (Slovakia) S.R.O. [Europe]
In-house recycle center started in UK and Slovakia
 Toner cartridge inspection by Brother Industries (Slovakia) |
In the UK, used toner cartridges for printing products are being recycled at the recycle center of Brother Industries (U.K.) Ltd. (BIUK).
The used toner cartridges collected by BIUK's recycle center are being reused. Unusable cartridges are crushed and sorted by material in order to facilitate the recycling of contained materials. Some resin is melted down and recycled, while other materials are being collected and recycled by outside recycle companies.
Also, in November 2006, Brother Industries (Slovakia) S.R.O. was established as a new recycle center in Krupina, Slovakia, in order to meet the ever-increasing volume of used consumables.
Brother France SAS [Europe]
Collection and recycling of used products and consumables by outside contractors in France
Brother France SAS outsources the collection and recycling of used products to Reeso and Ecologic. Reeso sorts collected toner cartridges by model, and sends recyclable ones to BIUK for recycling.
Brother International Singapore Pte. Ltd. [Asia / Oceania]
Sales company in Singapore spearheading consumables collection and recycling in Southeast Asia
 BIC(S) collection box |
Brother International Singapore Pte. Ltd. (BIC(S)) coordinates collection and recycle of used consumables in four countries of Southeast Asia: Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. With toner cartridges, BIC(S) inspects collected products and sends only those that can be recycled as products to Brother Industries Technology (M) Sdn. Bhd. (BITM) for recycling. Products that fail inspections are recycled by an outside company.
In Singapore, used consumables are collected at the first floor showroom of the BIC(S) building and Brother Group antenna shops in shopping malls. As for ink cartridges, a send-in collection program was launched for within the country in FY2008 (April 1, 2008-March 31, 2009). It works by having users place collection requests online at the company Web site. They then are sent an envelope in which they place the ink cartridges and send them back to company free of charge. Once received, BIC(S) has them recycled by an outside company.
Brother International (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. [Asia / Oceania]
Participation in an NPO zero landfill waste program in Australia
Brother International (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. (BIA) is taking part in the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark (C4PA) program implemented from 2003 by Planet Ark, an NPO founded in 1991, to recycle ink cartridges, toner cartridges and drum units. Collection boxes for consumers are set out in over 2,700 locations, while businesses that use three or more cartridges a month are given their own collection boxes (more than 18,000 locations). This program produces absolutely no landfill waste whatsoever. BIA also participates in the Byteback Australia product recycle program run by the Victoria government. Products used within BIA are sent to a general recycler by the name of Sims E-Recycling, where they are recycled.
Brother International (NZ) Ltd. [Asia / Oceania]
Used consumables collected and recycled via collection boxes and postal services in New Zealand
 BINZ collection box |
Brother International (NZ) Ltd. (BINZ) is working with TRC to collect and recycle used consumables. Collection boxes have been set out in more than 14,000 locations such as stores, schools, kindergartens, banks, hospitals and governmental offices. As an independent effort, BINZ includes with products a special envelop that users can use to send their used consumables to TRC. Some of the toner cartridges collected by TRC are sent to BIUK's recycle center for recycling.
Product collection and recycling are handled by Remarkit. Remarkit uses shipping companies to collect and recycle used products deposited at any of the 44 service centers.
