Of the 12,357 metric tonnes of waste we generated in 2008, 46% (5,684t) was recycled, compared with 43% in 2007.
The majority of our offices are leased and situated in shared buildings, making it difficult to track waste. We have developed a methodology to calculate waste based on regular weight sampling and the counting of waste containers leaving our premises. Although we know local municipalities carry out some sorting and recycling, we only report waste as recycled if we have evidence. We aim to recycle 60% of our waste by 2010 and 70% by 2015.
Our businesses have comprehensive recycling programmes to increase recycling. For example, Reed Business Information in Haywards Heath, UK recycled 79% of their waste in 2008, compared with 23% in 2007. Reed Elsevier San Diego won the city’s 2008 recycling award; the location recycled 90% of their office waste in 2008. In 2008, we continued working with waste contractors like Green Standards to support their School in a Box programme, finding useful outlets for equipment we can no longer use.
We provide information on UK packaging waste in line with the UK government’s Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste Regulations 2007). As a member of the Biffpack compliance scheme, we track the amount of our obligated packing generated through the selling, pack/fill, and importation of our products.
In 2008, we used 1,296 tonnes of paper, plastic and wood packaging; a decrease of 23% over 2007 (1,683 tonnes). Between 2005 and 2008, we achieved an absolute reduction of 33%, and an equivalent normalised reduction of 52%.