Caring for the Environment

Click here for our Environmental Policy

Brother is at the forefront of sustainable and environmentally responsible business in New Zealand. Not only have we gained the prestigious ISO14001 Environmental certification, we have also offered since April 2008, a comprehensive hardware and consumables recycling program. This program not only seeks to recover Brother consumables and hardware from the corporate sector, but also to recover and recycle Brother printer hardware and consumables from the mass consumer market.

We have partnered with experienced recycling suppliers to bring this service to you. The Toner Recycling Centre and Remarkit Solutions offer strong track records and proven performance in their chosen areas of expertise. The Toner Recycling Centre for consumables and Remarkit Solutions Limited for hardware recycling.

Percentage waste to landfill based on weight is in the single digit percentages and in most cases, under 5% to landfill. Our challenge to all New Zealanders who have honoured Brother by purchasing our products is to dispose of waste materials in an environmentally responsible manner to help preserve the planet for future generations.

Recycling Consumables

Recycling consumables has two beneficial impacts, namely reducing the amount of waste to landfill and re-using the materials used in the manufacture of our consumables. At Brother we have realised that to call ourselves a “Socially Responsible Corporate”, words need to translate into actions. Through our comprehensive recycling programme, we believe we have achieved this. Our challenge to New Zealanders and businesses that purchase our products is to also act in an environmentally responsible manner and dispose of consumables in ways that result in less waste to landfill.

Often this is easy to say but the means to act in an environmentally friendly manner has often been difficult to take advantage of. No longer is this the case. With Brother we have made it simple to do the right thing.

Household and Small Business

By calling 0800 180 160 you can order a Free Post consumables recycling bag which will be posted to you. Simply place the empty consumables in the free post bag and post free of charge from anywhere in New Zealand to Brother. Each bag is collated by NZ Post before being redirected to the Toner Recycling Centre in Auckland. The process couldn’t be simpler:

Call 0800 180 160 to order your Free Post recycling bag (small bag for inkjet cartridges and large bag for laser toners) which will be posted to you

Once you have received your bag, note your name and delivery address on the back of the envelope so a new bag can be sent to you

Stockpile at least 4 empty ink cartridges or one spent toner or drum and place in the bag

In the case of the cartridges, place each in the plastic bag supplied with the empty cartridges if you have kept it, or use the bag supplied with each new ink cartridge purchased

In the case of the toner or drum, place in the bag as is

The last step is to simply post the bag. In the case of some toner or drum packages, the bag may need to be taken to the nearest Post Shop and dropped off

If you suspect your used consumable will not fit into a recycling bag, refer to our drop off points for the nearest location to dispose of your used consumable.

Thanks to Brother, the Toner Recycling Centre and New Zealand Post, recycling consumables has never been easier.

Medium to Corporate Size Business

Brother, in association with the Toner Recycling Centre now provide empty consumable collection boxes free to Brother corporate customers to dispose of their used consumables. From the smallest ink cartridge to the largest drum unit, all consumables can be placed in the box. Call your Brother account manager or 04 589 0284 to request a box . Once you are in TRC's system and need to re-order another box, you must state that it is a Brother box or you may be charged for the service.

Whether you choose a large or small box the process is the same:

When the box is full call 0800 180 160 to request the box be collected

You will be quoted a 6 digit job number which can be written in the space provided at the top of the box

Allow 2 to 3 days for the box to be collected. This is the same wherever you are in New Zealand

The replacement box will most likely be delivered about a day or so after the full box is collected

We will even accept other brand consumables in the Brother boxes but please limit recycling to consumables and not hardware or general recycling.

Recycling Your Printer

Brother manufactures an extensive range of inkjet multifunction printers as well as colour and mono laser printers and multifunctions. As one of the leading suppliers of printing and imaging technology to the consumer and business markets we acknowledge we have a moral responsibility to recover and recycle Brother hardware.

In recognition of this we have partnered with Remarkit Solutions who are leaders in the provision of hardware recycling to the corporate sector. They will breakdown and arrange for recycling of the various elements common to each printer from the plastic casing to individual metal components.

Household and Small Business

In instances where a business may have one or maybe two Brother printers to dispose of, the machine can be taken to the nearest Remarkit drop off point in either Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, or one of the Brother Authorised Service and Recycling Centre drop off points throughout New Zealand. That’s all there is to it. Please support these businesses as they are doing their bit for the environment.

Medium to Corporate Size Business

If you are a Brother Corporate Customer and have Brother hardware that you wish to be collected and recycled, contact your Brother Corporate representative to arrange for a collection to be made.

Please pass on details such as the quantity of printers to be collected as well as the model and serial numbers. Please arrange the machines in one assembly point for easy collection.