Program Administration Established in 2002 and administered by the company's Environmental Management and Purchasing Departments, Canon's paper recycling program and its impressive results are rooted in employee education and consumer empowerment. Internally, office members are trained to segregate paper types including corrugated (cardboard) containers, newspapers, magazines, paperboard, and colored/white office paper, ensuring high quality and maximum return for these valuable resources. Strict quality specifications for toner cartridges require daily tests, utilizing tons of paper annually. Canon employees maximize the usefulness of this paper by using the other side of the paper for internal and external documents.

EducationEmployees are educated about Canon's various environmental initiatives through newsletters, bulletin posts, closed-circuit television, and an annual Environmental Educational Fair for employees. Employee education has helped to improve the quality and quantity of the various grades of paper and paper-based packaging collected.

OutreachCanon's paper recycling programs not only encourage paper recycling in the workplace, but also in the homes and businesses of their customers. Consumers are encouraged to return used ink cartridges by mailing them back in the postage-paid cardboard retail box provided with a replacement purchase - this recovers both the cartridge and the paper-based package for recycling.

Cost Effectiveness Canon is a zero-landfill company, and the cost-effectiveness of the paper recovery program is measured by comparing potential disposal costs to revenue generated from the sale of recovered materials. The revenue generated at Canon's recycling center is also compared to the shipping expenses that allow consumers to take advantage of toner cartridge recycling for free.