Recycling & Conservation

We take seriously our commitment to recycling and source reduction. From solving new challenges to raising the bar for our industry and gracing the bottom line in the process, UPS is constantly looking for new ways to reduce packaging and limit waste.  During 2010, UPS continued or expanded numerous initiatives aimed at reducing energy consumption and emissions from facilities while conserving natural resources.  


Lighting

Lighting is one of major stationary sources of energy use and emissions, in part because our distribution centers are large facilities that remain in operation overnight.  In 2010, our multi-year lighting upgrade program replace or upgraded 16,368 fixtures.  The total since 2007 is more than 85,000 fixtures, with an estimated annual energy savings of more than 30 million kWh, or the equivalent to lighting 2,500 homes for one year.


Solid Waste, E-Waste and Battery Recycling

Office paper, cardboard, and plastic material separation and recycling programs have been in place at many UPS facilities for many years.  We estimate that our U.S. Package Operations and Supply Chain and Freight generated approximately 137,033 tons of solid waste in 2010, and recycled approximately 34 percent of that material.  Computer junk, or "e-waste" as it is known in the industry, is fast a significant global problem. Tens of million of computers become obsolete every year and less than 10 percent are collected for recycling, with the rest of them stored in homes and offices or disposed in landfills.  UPS recycled 38,700 pounds of batteries in 2010.  This included nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, lithium iron, and small-sealed lead acid.

As part of its commitment to extended producer responsibility, UPS has implemented its own e-waste recycling program to ensure that electronic equipment used by the company is refurbished or disposed of properly when it becomes outdated.  To date, UPS has recycled more than 27 million pounds of electronic equipment.


Responsible Packaging

We introduced the industry's first Reusable Next Day Air envelope in 1998, which is bleach free and 100 percent recycled fiber (80 percent post-consumer). While it cuts down on waste by allowing one envelope to be used twice, the Reusable Envelope also provides convenience to customers, like mortgage brokers and attorneys, who have to ship documents for their clients to sign and return.

In 1998, UPS accepted the challenge from The Alliance for Environmental Innovation to improve the environmental profile of packaging in the transportation industry. Our express packaging was redesigned to eliminate bleached paper and increase the use of post-consumer recycled content - changes that not only reduced paper usage, but also reduced the amount of energy used in the manufacturing process by 12 percent.  Among the packaging items:

  • UPS Express Envelope: 100 percent recycled fiber (80 percent post-consumer content)
  • UPS Express Pak: 15 percent post-consumer content
  • UPS Express Box: 100 percent recycled fiber (90 percent post-consumer content)
  • UPS Express Tube: 100 percent recycled fiber (90 percent post-consumer content)
  • UPS 10 KG Box and UPS 25 KG Box: 30 percent post-consumer content

Additionally, The UPS Store® locations have an ongoing effort to encourage consumers to bring in foam packing peanuts to be reused and recycled.


Water Conservation

The efficient use of water is essential to future commerce and quality of life. Due to its cost and scarcity in many locations, there is also a direct bottom-line benefit to reducing water use. We are committed to researching and implementing conservation initiatives such as the following: 

  • Vehicle Washing Policy: In 1995, we changed our policy for washing delivery vehicles, saving 365 million gallons of water annually. Instead of washing them every day, we wash them as needed to maintain their appearance.
  • Water reclamation systems: 49 UPS facilities have wash tunnels equipped with active systems to reclaim water for reuse.
  • Vehicle Wash Agent (VWA): UPS uses an environmentally friendly enzyme wash agent that saves approximately US$1 million per year in materials and water.

In 2010, UPS water consumption held within 1 percent of 2009 levels, when we reduced our absolute water consumption by 11% in the U.S.