recycling


Recycling remains a priority at TELUS. A total of 6,130 tons of materials, mainly electronics and paper materials (including cardboard) were recycled by TELUS in 2006, 14 per cent less than 2004 (7,130 tons), the last year for which data were available. The year-over-year decrease in recycling reflects the substantial removal of telephone directories from our process as well as improved paper consumption. The waste recycled equates to $370,000 in landfill cost avoided.

A detailed list of materials recycled by TELUS is presented below:

Commodity
2006 year-end total

Batteries
(dry cells, lead acid, gel cell, etc.)

234.14 mt

Beverage containers
(Cans/glass/plastic)

12.41 mt

Cardboard

536.24 mt

e.Waste
(scrap electronics, IT equipment, phones)

27.82 mt

Fleet hazardous waste
(antifreeze, oil, lubricants, oil filters, vehicle batteries, tires, plastics such as empty oil containers)

Approx. 40 mt (includes more than 38,000 litres of hazardous liquids)

Fleet equipping and heavy equipment transfers
(Ladder racks, shelving units, generators, cab dividers, canopies, pumps)

n/a

Halon

9.36 mt

Hazardous waste
(various waste chemicals through our Waste Chemical Recovery Program)

7.88 mt

Metals
(cable, steel, wire)

1,424.8 mt

Paper

634.57 mt

Poles

3,094 mt

Telsets
(refurbished, recycled, resale)

44.89 mt

Toner/printer cartridges

5.44 mt

Wood
(Pallets, reels)

56.50 mt

Transportation of dangerous goods

4,807 litres
214.79 mt

Cost avoidance
(what it would have cost TELUS if we sent it to the landfill)

$367,820.05

TOTAL WEIGHT (metric tones)

6,128 mt

saving trees, planting trees

Tree Canada

By year end 2006, approximately 26.2 per cent of TELUS shareholders had elected to receive the TELUS annual report online only. On their behalf, TELUS has planted more than 10,400 trees in partnership with Tree Canada. Assuming each tree reaches maturity, more than 14,000 tonnes of CO2 could be removed from the atmosphere.


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Reducing paper at TELUS

TELUS has had a successful program in place since 2001 to reduce the amount of paper used. Through the purchase of duplex printers for double-sided printing, a paperless office initiative and e.bill, which encourages customers to switch to online bills, we have been able to reduce our paper consumption each year. Results for paper consumption were unavailable in 2005 due to the labour disruption. TELUS placed a renewed focus on recycling in 2006 and, as a result, was able to bring down the amount of paper consumed by 10 per cent, even with the addition of our wireless operations to the tracking process.



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