HP Innovates Closed Loop Inkjet Cartridge Recycling Program, Gives Plastic Water Bottles Second Life


PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 30, 2008 - In an industry first, HP today announced it has
developed an engineering breakthrough that enables the use of post-consumer recycled
plastics in the production of new Original HP inkjet print cartridges.

More than 200 million cartridges have been manufactured using the process thus far. HP
used more than 5 million pounds of recycled plastic in its inkjet cartridges last year, and the company is committed to using twice as much in 2008.

The company's innovative recycling process facilitates the combination of multiple
sources and grades of recycled plastics - from everyday water bottles to highly technical HP inkjet cartridges.

In addition to closing the design loop, using recycled content saves energy and keeps
plastic out of landfills - since first piloting the process, HP has used enough recycled plastic to fill more than 200 tractor trailers.(1)

"By developing the technology to use recycled plastics in Original HP inkjet print
cartridges, we have the opportunity to reduce the environmental impact HP products
have on the planet," said Michael Hoffmann, senior vice president, Supplies, Imaging
and Printing Group, HP. "HP's considerable investments in building a recycling
infrastructure made this achievement possible, and this is just the beginning of what we hope to accomplish."

Innovation without compromise In developing this process, HP engineers, chemists and partners dedicated themselves to finding a way to provide the environmental benefits of using recycled materials while still delivering the uncompromising quality and reliability customers count on from HP.

HP inkjet cartridges returned through HP's Planet Partners program undergo a multiphase
recycling process that reduces them to raw materials such as plastics and metals.
HP combines plastic from the inkjet cartridges with recycled bottle resin and a suite of compounding additives to ensure all recycled materials meet HP's high-performance
standards.

The amount of recycled content in these HP inkjet cartridges may vary between 70 to
100 percent of the total plastic used, but the reliability results for each product are
stringently tested and consistent across the lineup.

And unlike companies that simply remanufacture cartridges, HP has found a way to mold
these recycled plastic components into new Original HP inkjet cartridges.
Honored by the industry

In recognition of HP's inventive approach to using recycled content, the Society of
Plastics Engineers, a trade organization for plastics professionals, plans to present HP with its most prestigious environmental stewardship award at the Global Plastics
Environmental Conference in March.

"HP's use of recycled plastic in an application as technically demanding as their inkjet cartridges represents an unprecedented engineering innovation," said Larry Koester, vice president of Communications, Environmental Division, Society of Plastics Engineers. "This remarkable achievement comes after many years of perseverance and ingenuity by HP and their partners."

Designing with the environment in mind HP's approach to environmental management of its print cartridges considers every facet of the product lifecycle - from design to manufacture to recycling. Incorporating recycled plastics in Original HP inkjet cartridges closes the loop on this lifecycle management.

Using recycled content is the latest advancement from HP's Design for Environment
program, which reduces the environmental impact of HP cartridges through material
usage, ease of recycling and packaging efficiency.

HP's Planet Partners return and recycling program provides free and convenient cartridge returns in more than 45 countries, regions and territories. Customers can be confident in HP's environmental management because cartridges returned through Planet Partners are never refilled, resold or sent to a l

Editorial contacts:
Sarah K. Steven, HP
+1 415 203 6382
sarah.k.steven@hp.com

Katie Neal
Porter Novelli for HP
+1 415 975 2297
katie.neal@porternovelli.com

HP Media Hotline
+1 866 266 7272
pr@hp.com
www.hp.com/go/newsroom
Hewlett-Packard Company
3000 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304
www.hp.com

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