Adhering to Canon’s corporate philosophy “Kyosei”, Canon Hong Kong has spared no effort to promote environmental conservation over the years and injected green elements into different kinds of corporate activities. Since the launch of “Ink Cartridge Recycling Program” in 2009, McDull, a local cartoon icon, has been invited to serve as the program ambassador. With the ambition of cultivating the environmental awareness of the next generation, the program was extended to the education sector in 2011, calling on support from primary and secondary schools. Now in its 13th year, the annual “Inter-school Ink Cartridge Recycling Competition” has received overwhelming responses from different sectors of the society. More than 300 organizations and schools have set up recycling boxes to encourage the public to recycle used inkjet printer cartridges. At the same time, Canon Hong Kong has organized over 200 sessions of “Environmental Seminar” for participating schools, reaching over 69,000 students to promote the importance of recycling. As of June 2024, over 276,000 ink cartridges were collected, with more than 6.3 tons of plastics recycled and over 9.5 tons of CO2 emissions reduced, equivalent to the amount absorbed by 414 trees annually. Recycled ink cartridges were dismantled, while the metals and plastics were being recycled into raw materials for other products.
In the keynote speech at the ceremony, Mr. Kazuhiro Ozawa, President and CEO of Canon Hong Kong, affirmed the winning schools for their exemplar dedication in promoting recycling. A total of 10 schools were recognized in the aspect of “Highest No. of Recycled Ink Cartridges” and “Highest No. of Recycled Ink Cartridges Per Head” respectively. Mr. Kazuhiro Ozawa expressed gratitude for the active support from the academic sector. He emphasized the importance of promoting environmental protection to the young generation and urged schools to build a better and sustainable society together by continuously responding to green initiatives.
After the ceremony, Canon Hong Kong arranged an array of green recycling booths and workshops for teachers, students and parents. These included the “Banner Upcycling Workshop” hosted by Canon Hong Kong’s green partner “The Green Earth”, turning discarded advertising banners into multi-functional handicrafts such as Octopus cardholders or name cardholders. Green Earth volunteers also shared different waste problems currently facing Hong Kong and hoped to raise students’ concerns about recycling. The “Green Education Corner and Recycling Activity” held by Baguio iRecycle Limited allowed students to understand better the 7 classifications of plastics and the correct recycling methods through interactive games; participants were also encouraged to bring along items such as clean clothes for on-site recycling. Apart from that, students brought alive exquisite 3D paper crafts using Canon branded paper during the “Creative Park Workshop”. The “Instant Photo Shoot and Print with McDull” and “Face Painting” were also highlights of the event.
