Recycling
Excluding construction and demolition debris, Medtronic recycled nearly 7,000 metric tonnes of waste materials or 52 percent of our total waste generation (both regulated and non-regulated solid waste) in fiscal year 2010, normalized to revenue, compared to 49 percent in fiscal year 2009. The improvement is largely due to expanded recycling programs within plants and at individual workspaces, which promote the recycling of manufacturing materials, plastics, metals, beverage containers, fiber (printing paper, newspaper, cardboard, etc.), ink cartridges, and batteries.
Medtronic Santa Rosa Diverts Waste from Landfill to Recycling Center
A recent project at Medtronic’s Santa Rosa, California, USA location, home to our CardioVascular business, diverted 63.5 metric tonnes of waste extrusion plastic from a landfill to a recycling outlet. Due to this and other practices, the facility recycles more than 70 percent of all generated waste, saving $90,000 in disposal costs annually. The Santa Rosa site has also integrated EHS sustainability into the product development process. Several initiatives, such as substituting water-based cleaners for alcohol-based, have significantly reduced the amount of hazardous substances used to build products.