26 February 2009

LaSalle/Peru, IL – Carus Corporation has had recycling programs in place at all their facilities for a number of years. Since 2005, Carus has also partnered with United Way of Illinois Valley (UWIV) and Clover Technologies in Ottawa to increase environmental awareness and raise funds at the same time. Many businesses like Carus have programs for recycling bottles, cans, and papers but most people don’t realize the impact they can make by recycling inkjet and laser toner cartridges. These items are extremely damaging to the environment. Empty cartridges contain residual toner powder, ink, a plastic casing, aluminum and other parts. These are all non-biodegradable and can take 450 years or more to degrade.

Rather than throwing away empty inkjet cartridges, laser toner cartridges, and used cell phones, Carus has a central location where these used items are stored for recycling in boxes provided by Clover Technologies. These prepaid boxes are shipped via UPS to the Clover facility in Ottawa where the reprocessing takes place. As a company with a strong commitment to recycling, Carus appreciates this service. Even better, the revenue generated from this partnership goes directly to the UWIV. In 2008, the UWIV realized $206.00 from Carus alone. Instead of sending these items to a landfill, the proceeds for recycling are providing services to the community. For individuals and businesses that aren’t large enough to have a collection box, they can drop these items off at the United Way office in Peru. For more information about the program, contact the UWIV office at 815-223-8339.

Carus Corporation, founded in LaSalle, IL, in 1915, is a world leader in permanganates, phosphates, and base metal catalysts, all of which Carus manufactures primarily for environmental applications. Carus Corporation is a member of the American Chemistry Council and an active participant in the industry’s award-winning Responsible Care® initiative, working to make life better, healthier, and safer through chemistry.