Brother has achieved carbon neutral status for its recycling and environment technology centre in North Wales as the business commits to reaching net zero carbon emissions globally by 2050. The site at Ruabon was certified by The Carbon Trust, which includes a calculation on the site’s scope 1 and 2 emissions determined by direct and indirect emissions from energy sources and emissions associated with vehicle use.
The centre, which recycles used toner cartridges returned by Brother customers from across Europe uses 100% green-certified electricity to power the plant and a fleet of electric vehicles. Globally, Brother recycles more than 2.6 million toner cartridges every year.
Brother has offset the remaining 173 tonnes of CO2e (FY2020) produced annually through the purchase of carbon credits to support the development of renewable energy projects in Kenya, Ghana, Indonesia and India. These projects include supplying clean energy for people with no access to electricity, providing 820,000 insulated fuel efficient stoves to help feed families and reduce deforestation, and making affordable water filters to increase access to safe water.
Additionally, the business also makes a donation to the rainforest charity, CoolEarth, for every cartridge it receives, which are 100% reused or recycled.
Brother achieved its target of being 100% zero waste to landfill across its UK operations in 2019, and runs a free recycling scheme to recondition and reuse toner cartridges.
