World Recycling Day 2019 - Recycling into the Future

The theme of this year's Global Recycling Day, "Recycling into the Future," focuses on the power of youth, education and innovation in ensuring a brighter future for the planet. Being a long standing industry leader when it comes to the life cycle management and recycling of photovoltaic modules, First Solar is also capturing the energy and ideas of our associates around the world to drive forward circular economy initiatives at our manufacturing sites, offices and within the communities we are working in.

Within the framework of First Solar's Sustainability Ambassador program, our colleagues are doing just that by driving awareness and finding innovative ways to reduce waste across the company.

From March 18 through April 1, First Solar Perrysburg will be holding a blue jean drive, in partnership with the Blue Jeans Go Green program, to recycle jeans into housing insulation that will benefit communities affected by natural disasters. Not only will this initiative help divert jeans from landfill but it will help those in need.

This initiative is part of the global First Solar Reduce-Reuse-Recycling (3R's) campaign running throughout the year in all manufacturing and office locations globally.

In an effort to reduce single use plastic waste, our Sustainability Ambassadors in Dong Nam are encouraging associates to bring in their own reusable cup in exchange for a free smoothie after 10 refills.

If food waste were a country, it would be the world's third-largest emitter of CO2, after China and the United States. Every day, our Café in Kulim, Malaysia generates up to a ton of waste, approximately half of which is food waste.

To tackle this, our local waste management team began exploring options to process food waste in late 2016. The team has since identified a food waste collector that is now helping turn our food waste into organic fertilizer. Next steps will include reducing food preparation, improving waste segregation practices, and launching a zero plastic campaign at our largest manufacturing location in Malaysia.

Think global - act local - it is really energizing to work with a global team which is passionate of not only producing the most eco-efficient photovoltaic technology solution on this planet, but also takes initiative to move the needle accross the board to enable more sustainable work routines.