HP announced Monday that the efforts -- which pulled in the weight of 280 jumbo airliners -- surpassed last year's by 17 percent. The company also collected more than 2.5 million units, or more than 50 million pounds of hardware for refurbishing, resale, and donations, according to its 2005 Global Citizenship Report.
In all, HP has recycled more than 750 million pounds of hardware and print cartridges since opening its first recycling facility in Roseville, Calif. in 1997. The company has set a goal of recycling one billion pounds of computing and printing products by the end of 2007. HP will expand the program to include more customers and new ways to return and recycle equipment.
The recycling program currently operates in more than 36 countries, regions, and territories. The recovered plastics and metals are recycled into car parts, clothing hangers, toys, fence posts, serving trays and roof tiles.
In addition to Hewlett-Packard's initiatives, consumers and advocates are demanding that computer companies do more to promote recycling.