HP Innovation Journal Issue 09: Spring 2018 | Page 46

Innovation Spotlight
M E RC È BA RCO N S VI L A R D E LL
G lo b al H e a d a n d G e n e ral M a n ag e r, H P S up plie s B usin e ss
N ATE H U R S T
C hief S ustaina bilit y & S o cial I m p a c t O f f ice r, H P
C LO S I N G
Transforming plastic bottles into ink cartridges
T H E LO O P W IT H
and economic opportunities in Haiti
P L A S TI C S
With limited access to clean water, Haitians rely heavily on
bottled water. Proper disposal methods aren’t in place, so
plastic bottles line the landfills, canals, and shoreline. More
than 300 Haitian children currently collect those bottles
from the largest landfill in Haiti, the Truitier landfill. This
hazardous work exposes the children and their families
to difficult working conditions. HP, in partnership with
Thread and the First Mile, wants to help change that.
Fulfilling our commitment made in September 2016,
HP now purchases recycled plastic collected in Haiti to
create Original HP ink cartridges. Recently awarded the
“Most Meaningful Social Impact” HP Reinventor Award,
“Closing the Loop with Plastics from Haiti” is creating
more sustainable waste management, and it exemplifies
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HP’s efforts to reinvent how products are designed, manu-
factured, used, and recovered.
People, including children, work in landfills like Truit-
ier to collect recyclables as an important source of income
for their families. This is a difficult and complex problem
that requires a serious, long-term solution. Finding a scal-
able solution in Truitier is one step to changing the status
quo and ensuring that the people who collect plastics in
Haiti have a voice, access to resources and training, and
the opportunity to advance.
Our joint initiative will improve the lives of Haitian chil-
dren who collect the recyclable materials by providing them
with educational opportunities, including scholarships, full
access to medical care, and health and safety trainings.