One way to prevent pollution is to reduce the generation of hazardous waste at its source. This has been a basic philosophy behind IBM's pollution prevention program since 1971.
Where possible, IBM redesigns processes to eliminate or reduce chemical use and substitute more environmentally preferable chemicals. Chemicals needed for research, development and manufacturing must be properly managed, from selection and purchase through storage, use and disposal.
For waste that is generated, IBM focuses on preventing pollution through a comprehensive, proactive waste management program.
In 2010, IBM's hazardous waste generation indexed to output decreased 21.6 percent. IBM's goal in this area is to achieve a continual reduction of hazardous waste indexed to output over the previous year's generation. This goal covers approximately 90 percent of IBM's manufacturing and hardware development-related hazardous waste, which currently comes from 3 manufacturing sites. Hazardous waste from other operations, such as assembly and facility operations, is not included in this metric.
This significant year-over-year decrease was largely attributable to process changes during the transition to lower line width microprocessor technologies that drove an increase in hazardous waste indexed to output in 2009 and source reduction projects in our manufacturing lines in 2010.
Of the total amount of hazardous waste IBM generated worldwide in 2010, 49 percent was recycled and 30 percent was sent to landfills. Of the total amount sent to landfills, 97 percent was sludge from industrial wastewater treatment plants. Local government regulations required disposition of this sludge in secure hazardous waste landfills.
IBM's total hazardous waste generation has decreased by 21 percent over the past five years, and has decreased by 96.3 percent since the 1987 base year of this metric.
IBM also has focused for decades on recycling its nonhazardous waste.
Nonhazardous waste includes such waste as paper, metals, plastics, deionized resins and nonhazardous chemicals. The goal also includes end-of-life IT product waste generated by IBM's business (e.g., equipment scrapped from IBM locations) as well as IBM-owned equipment returned by external customers at the end of lease.
Of the nonhazardous waste IBM generated in 2010, 79 percent of the total was recycled, versus the goal of 75 percent.