Company saves big bucks by recycling.

Recycling isn't just a good thing to do for the environment: It's a revenue generator for many businesses. Computer supplier Amdahl Corp., Sunnyvale, CA, has netted $250,000 to $500,000 annually from the resale of recyclable materials, and 1994 was even better.

"1994 was a banner year for

Amdahl's recycling and waste management programs. Our scrap and reclamation program resulted in $1,136,546 in cash from the resale of precious and non-precious metals, solder dross, surplus equipment, electronic breakage and wire, furniture as well as paper, and cardboard recycling. The total expense for operating this program was only $89,979, for a net income of $1,046,567 to the company," says Diane Malloy, administrative specialist with Amdahl's Contracts Administration group.

Since its energy conservation program took effect in 1983, the company cut its total hours of energy usage by 152,258,913 kWh, equivalent to 126,882 barrels of oil. If this amount of oil had been used, 228,388,369 pounds of carbon dioxide would have gone into the air.

The program began with recycling office paper, soda cans, and bottles, and quickly expanded to include virtually every waste product that could be reclaimed. Hundreds of tons of materials have been recycled, and the company saved $135,267 in new material purchases through internal recycling and reclamation efforts that found new uses for scrap paper, metal, and wood products. For example, more than 20 large crates are often required when mainframe computer systems are shipped to a customer. The crates are now taken back when unloaded and reused many times before being recycled.

Used 3-ring binders, pencils, and other reusable items that are still in good condition are given to San Francisco Bay Area schools. It helps the schools and saves waste from the landfill. "The need for increased sensitivity to environmental concerns is not just a community or a governmental issue; it is an essential fact of business life in the 1990s," says Gerald Hummel, director of Facilities Operations and Headquarters Services.

The monetary result of Amdahl's programs? Overall savings of nearly $6 million in 1994, including savings of more than $4.4 million in energy costs, a 25 percent power reduction.