An ethical and friendly act: collecting spent ink cartridges

« The project to raise youth awareness in a school environment is highly promising. The association's partners, Valdem and Emape, which reconditions the ink cartridges, are clients and service providers of Veolia, and have a reputation for integrity, with many references. »

Florent Collet

The Blés du Désert Association, which has many ongoing humanitarian projects worldwide (a kindergarten in Mauritania, a school infirmary in Togo, community center welcoming street children in Paraguay, etc.), is also conducting projects around Vendôme, in the Centre region.

Its projects are associated with workforce development, aid to the most disadvantaged, and environmental conservation, particularly with its "do an ethical and friendly act" project.

Reconditioned cartridges

Created in 1998 by an emergency doctor and a fire brigade captain, the association has decided to set up a system for recycling spent ink cartridges from inkjet and laser printers, fax machines and photocopy machines. Collected in special containers installed in the seven waste drop-off facilities of the Syndicat Mixte de Collecte et de Valorisation des Déchets Ménagers du Vendômois (VALDEM), these cartridges will be stored and sent to the EMAPE reconditioning plant which meets ISO 14001 standards.

The financial proceeds earned will be used to create jobs for youths, and will also help expand the collection of the cartridges.
At the same time, the association will get involved in the schools to familiarize the students with environmental conservation.