A LEADING recycling company which saves one million printer cartridges from landfill every year has been putting a grant of £49,000 to use.

BCMY, based in Lancing, collects used cartridges from businesses and sells them on to remanufacturers to save them going to waste.

Unique technology enables it to recycle more types of ink cartridges than any other, keeping 600 tons out of landfill sites.

The company has been built up from a one-man bedroom operation to an 11 staff business with a £1.25mil- lion turnover.

The recent business growth grant from Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership has enabled it to open a new facility and recruit more staff – with an even bigger site now being sought.

Previously BCMY created 100 tons of printer waste cartridge every year, which was hard to dispose of safely. Shredding, burning and compacting creates a risk of explosions, with sev- eral deaths over the years around the world as a result.

The business growth grant has enabled BCMY to fund a new facility that breaks down toner waste into raw materials, which can be sold on for reuse, rather than becoming damaging to the environment through landfill or incinerations.

As the operation becomes more successful it is hoped it will create more sustainable, varied job opportu- nities. BCMY also runs a sister brand, Recycle4Charity, which allows people and businesses to donate their used cartridges to raise money for charity, and has donated more than £900,000 through the service.

The free charity recycling collection service allows large national cam- paigns to small individual donators to raise money through donations and collections.

One litre of oil is required to make every toner cartridge. Simon Gilchrist, managing director BCMY, said: “Our new service gives us a better environmental solution for our waste, with zero landfill, zero incineration and 100% reuse.

“The facility allows the company to bridge two markets, cartridge reuse and waste cartridge destruction, which is not yet an integrated service available in the UK. “We aim to be profitable within the first 12 months, with a view to expanding capacity and services thereafter.”

Steve Allen, Coast to Capital vice chairman, said: “This is exactly the sort of business we like to invest in – an innovative, growing company, creating jobs, with an environmental ethos. “It really hits that sweet spot bril- liantly and we’re all delighted to see its success.”
Grant helps recycling company to expand