Kyocera Communications Inc., a San Diego-based provider of wireless phones in the Americas and a wholly owned subsidiary of Kyocera International Inc., has received the Director’s Recycling Award for environmental programs by the City of San Diego's Environmental Services Department (ESD). It is the twelfth consecutive year the City has awarded Kyocera Communications for its recycling efforts. Kyocera, which operates multiple divisions in San Diego, now has earned 19 such awards from the City – more than any other business in San Diego, according to the ESD. Kyocera also was recently honored by the state of California with the Waste Reduction (WRAP) Award, recognizing its recycling and environmentally-friendly business practices.

In honor of Earth Day, Kyocera Communications will be holding an eWaste collection drive from 12 – 2 p.m. on Friday, April 20 with STAR 94.1 at the Westfield Mission Valley mall near Bed Bath & Beyond. San Diegans are encouraged to bring all old, obsolete or broken small personal electronics for donation and will receive a free set of earbuds as a thank you from Kyocera. The drive is part of Kyocera’s city-wide eWaste Recycling Program benefitting Cell Phones for Soldiers, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing deployed and returning troops cost-free methods to communicate with family while serving in the United States military. Receptacles will also be available in various locations throughout the city through April 23 to collect old mobile devices, electronic music players and other small electronics.

Kyocera Corp. was founded 53 years ago with a philosophy of “harmonious coexistence” and a commitment to social responsibility and environmental protection. In 2011 Kyocera Communications recycled more than 26,730 pounds of paper, plastic, electronic and other waste materials otherwise destined for landfills. These efforts, along with changes in the domestic distribution of its mobile devices, allowed Kyocera to significantly reduce its carbon footprint.

“At Kyocera Communications, we continue to find new ways to help our environment every year, such as further improving our recycling of materials and water and even utilizing recycled materials for our mobile phone packaging,” said Eric Anderson, senior vice president and general manager of sales and marketing at Kyocera Communications Inc. “In 2011, more than ever, we worked to help educate others on what they can do as well. We brought an earth-friendly presence to last summer’s Virgin Mobile FREEFest, educating tens of thousands of young music lovers about recycling and the benefits of solar power. Our eWaste awareness and recycling campaign in San Diego for Earth Day 2012 will also help people understand the importance of proper disposal of their electronic devices.”

Efforts that earned the 2011 Director’s Recycling Award included:

• Carbon Footprint Reduction: Through adjustments to the domestic distribution of its products, Kyocera greatly reduced the consumption of fossil fuels used in the shipping process.
• Cell Phones: Collection bins were placed in Kyocera facilities and links were placed on the company’s external Web site, showing consumers how to recycle their phones at no cost and direct any proceeds to their choice of several charitable organizations.
• Cardboard: Kyocera separates cardboard from landfill-trash and recycles it for reuse. Kyocera Communications Inc. recycled approximately 10,100 lbs. of cardboard in 2011.
• Paper: White and colored paper was collected in offices, copy rooms and labs, while confidential and proprietary documents were collected and securely shredded. Overall, approximately 2,500 pounds of mixed paper were recycled.
• Aluminum Cans: Beverage cans were collected in offices and common break areas and removed nightly for recycling.
• Electronic Scrap: Kyocera Communications Inc. collected and recycled 14,130 pounds of miscellaneous electronic scrap from its labs and offices, almost triple the amount of the previous year.