Has your company started collecting used print cartridges? Great! It is a splendid initiative for promoting the circular economy and sustainable development. Your company is implementing concrete actions, and you can now prove that its environmental values are real and not just a load of hot air.
But does your collection partner provide you with a document for your CSR report that proves your actions? Did you know that with OWA collection, we provide you with a report that lists reused cartridges separately from those that are non-reusable, and their dismantling?
What is the Materials Audit?
The Materials Audit is a report that certifies all collection data and gives an accurate account of what ultimately happens to the used cartridges collected from you. It is a customised tool that you can use for your CSR reports, presenting quantified details about your environmental impact.
Information supplied in the Materials Audit
In this report you will generally find an overall analysis of your used cartridge collection, namely:
- The type of cartridges collected (inkjet and laser, other) in quantity and weight
- The number of reusable cartridges that will be put back on the market
- Breakdown of collection by brand of print consumables
- How the materials from dismantled laser cartridges are recycled
These figures will show you how much you have reduced your CO2 impact compared to conventional incineration treatment. With some collection providers, for example OWA collection, you will also obtain a comparison showing equivalent CO2 reduction in car miles that clearly illustrates your collection performance.
The second part of the report gives a detailed account of how the materials from non-reusable cartridges have been recycled. For example, the percentage of plastic, electronic parts, copper, powder, etc. recovered from your cartridges. In the OWA Materials Audit, we go further still and list the items that have been produced thanks to your collection, for example office accessories, hair brushes, protective helmets or even zips, etc.
How can you use your Materials Audit in your CSR report?
As you will have understood, the Materials Audit is a valuable document not only for your CSR report, but also for reassuring your stakeholders, employees or customers about what happens to the cartridges collected. This is why you should use a reliable collection provider who can provide you with this type of document. This document also meets the environmental performance assessment criteria specified in CSR reports:
Under current legislation: Article 225 of the Grenelle II law, Decree 2012-557 of 24 April 2012, on corporate transparency obligations for social and environmental matters
And/or application of terms of reference for CSR and extra-financial reporting: The UN Global Compact (principles 8 and 9), GRI4, OECD (principle 6).
The Materials Audit of your collection will thus guarantee you transparency in your cartridge treatment and, in the waste management section of your CSR report, will highlight your company’s selective sorting and reduction of your carbon footprint.
