Need for recycling grows as digital products increase: hardware recycling programs launched to complement those for disposable goods.(Processing)

The digital revolution provides the imaging industry with a double challenge. The dramatic increase in digital camera sales and home photo-quality inkjet printers leaves specialty store/minilab owners searching for effective strategies to combat the decrease in traditional processing orders.

As prices fall on digital electronics, in tandem with the quality, speed, and resolution of digital cameras and many output devices, recycling hardware and disposables in an environmentally sale manner becomes everyone's concern.

HP Co., Pale Alto, Calif. (www.hp.com), is widely regarded as a leader in its environmental initiatives. In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded HP with its 2003 Environmental Achievement Award, citing HP's U.S. recycling facilities in this country recycle more than 3 million pounds of used computer hardware per month.

Also, a report issued last October by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (www.svtc.org) praised HP for its openness to inspections and progressive operational policies at its hardware recycling Micro Metallic facility.

The report lauds HP for the installation of mechanized crashers, as opposed to hammers that increase worker exposure to toxins; modern, …