IBM Recycles 97% of End-of-Life Products

In its other waste and recycling accomplishments, IBM sent 86 percent of the nonhazardous waste it generated worldwide in 2014 to be recycled, and purchased recycled plastics for use in products such that 12.1 percent of purchased plastic by weight were recycled resins.

Other report highlights include:

• IBM increased its purchase of renewable energy by 17.9 percent in 2014. The company purchased 683,000 MWh of renewable energy (over and above the renewable energy delivered over the grid).
• Between 2013-2014, IBM reduced its CO2 emissions associated with fuel and electricity by 6.1 percent (more than 81,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent).
• IBM’s 2014 energy conservation projects delivered annual savings equal to 6.7 percent of the company’s total energy use. This avoided the consumption of 325,500 MWh of electricity and 267,200 million British thermal units (MMBtu) of fuel oil and natural gas, and 142,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions. IBM’s global conservation projects also saved $37.4 million in energy expense.

Also in 2014, the company partnered with other organizations on sustainability initiatives, such as the Jefferson Project at Lake George, which uses IBM big data and analytics technology to manage and protect a body of fresh water and aims to create a blueprint to preserve important lakes, rivers and other bodies of fresh water around the globe.