Eliminating Single Use Plastics for a Greener World

CommScope is an active participant in the green revolution and its efforts at recycling and sustainability are making a lasting impact on the planet. In this blog, Danny Thijs explains how the company is replacing SUPs with recyclable paper and cardboard, and paper instructions with QR codes.

0L5A2697-smallPlastics were the wonder of the age a few decades ago, and they made their way into products throughout our consumer and industrial life. But in today’s eco-friendly society, everyone wants to avoid single-use (non-recyclable) plastics like bags and containers that end up in landfills , dumped in the ocean or littered across the landscape. Eventually, single-use plastics, or SUPs, break down and become part of our food chain.

CLICK TO TWEET: Learn how CommScope is an active participate in the green revolution and its efforts at recycling and sustainability are making a lasting impact on our plant.

According to a study published in Science Advances, the packaging industry was the number one user of plastics with more than 42 percent and also the number one for plastic waste generation. Although CommScope isn’t in the packaging industry, we have used SUP in packaging some of our products and are committed to making changes to eliminate as much as possible

Major manufacturers around the world have committed to reducing waste in their manufacturing and packaging processes. CommScope is no exception. For example, in CommScope’s building infrastructure group, we are eliminating SUPs in copper jacks, copper patch panels, copper patch cords and copper faceplates. By using recyclable paper and cardboard instead, we’re leading a worldwide industry trend in waste management.

Another way we’re cutting down on waste is by eliminating the use of paper installation instructions in our packaging. Instead, installers can scan a QR code on their phones to be directed to the product’s landing page on our e-catalog, where they can find all of the information related to the product (specs, technical documents, etc.), including the electronic version of the installation instructions. Changing to QR codes will potentially eliminate one million paper copies of instructions, which saves a lot of trees. 

CommScope is committed to reducing its global waste footprint, and eliminating SUPs is just one program we’re conducting. In large ways and small, we are cutting waste. You can read more about CommScope’s sustainability efforts in our annual Sustainability Report.

Overall, CommScope is an active participant in the green revolution and our efforts at recycling and sustainability are making a lasting impact on the planet.

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