A company's campaign to reduce the growing CD mountain is a big hit.

Tens of thousands of discs have poured into the Uckfield offices of Beacon Press since it launched its Box It, Don't Bin It campaign to encourage companies to send their unwanted CDs for recycling.

Billions of CDs, which are not biodegradable, are produced every year. Huge numbers of them gather dust on office shelves or are dumped in waste bins before going to overstretched landfill sites.

Beacon launched a collection scheme as part of its community sponsorship programme.

Customers were asked to place collection boxes in their offices and encourage staff to use them.

Beacon collect the boxes and send them to a company, which recycles 100 per cent of the discs and packaging.

Chairman Mark Fairbrass said: "We had no idea when we launched this campaign that it would meet with such response. The CDs are pouring in by the tens of thousands and this is probably only the tip of the iceberg.

"As a company, we try to recycle all the by-products from our own business but we're always looking for new ways to help the environment.

"We're really pleased news of the scheme is spreading and we're getting many requests from non-customers to take part. It appeals to them because it involves no financial outlay and we do all the work."

Beacon recently won a Queen's Award for sustainable development after judges said it had "an outstanding level of commitment".

The printing firm has launched more than 100 green initiatives, many of them to counter the environmental impact of the industry, such as extensive use of chemicals and high energy costs.

In its latest environmental report, major successes include a 95 per cent reduction in chemical use, substantial falls in gas and electricity consumption despite increased productivity, the recycling of more than 80 per cent of all company waste and a 63 per cent reduction in water use.

Three storage crates in the factory have been filled and the CDs will be recycled to produce CD cases, artificial wood, alarm boxes, lighting lenses, equipment cases and cardboard.

Wednesday August 27, 2003