August 27th, 2019
London Drugs has been recycling beyond the blue box for over 10 years now, but it’s still a good news story to remind people what they can bring back to their local store for responsible recycling.
London Drugs Sustainability Specialist Raman Johal was interviewed this week and featured by CityTV reporter Andrea McPherson, along with a few of our ‘Green Hero’ customers who happened to be doing their recycling that day.
Check out the CityTV video here to find out more.
August 6th, 2019
For over 10 years London Drugs has helped people recycle beyond the blue box, taking back batteries, light bulbs, electronics, small appliances, Styrofoam and more right at the store. But recent news articles showing some pretty bad recycling have people wondering, what REALLY happens to their recycling?
So we created a video that takes everything you need to know about where London Drugs recycling goes, and condenses it down to 60 seconds. If you want to know more, scroll down for further details on specific recyclables and processes.
We do our homework. Taking back recycling for 80 stores is no small task. Raman Johal is the London Drugs Sustainability Specialist who helps keep it all running smoothly. Raman and the team research recycling companies, check accreditations, inspect facilities, and choose the best recycling organizations for each kind of material. Then they track every kilo of waste coming from every store. So you can be assured that anything you recycle with London Drugs is processed as responsibly as we can make it.
Batteries: Our battery recycling is handled by Call2Recycle. All batteries are separated by chemistry (the two main types being rechargeable and single-use) and sent to the appropriate North American processor. There they are crushed and melted down in a huge electric-arc furnace. Metals recovered include nickel, cobalt, cadmium, lead, iron, copper and zinc. These are separated for re-manufacturing use in making stainless steel, rubber, paint and even… more batteries! Waste products are responsibly and safely disposed of according to industry and regulatory standards.
Light Bulbs: Our light bulb recycling is handled by Product Care. Lights are separated into their component parts including glass, metal and plastic. Hazardous materials such as mercury from fluorescent lights, are treated and properly disposed of.
Electronics and Small Appliances: Our electronics recycling partners include eCycle Solutions and GEEP with locations in BC and Alberta. All electronics and small appliances brought to London Drugs are disassembled in Canada, broken down into plastics, metals, glass and circuit boards. Computers and data carrying devices are tracked and all hard drives and data safely destroyed. Glass, plastic and metal are recycled or sold and shipped as commodities for re-manufacturing. Circuit boards are smelted to recover precious metals.
Hard and Soft Plastics: Plastic bags and residential hard plastics are sorted and baled. All residential plastic collected in BC is processed locally by RecycleBC. Companies like Merlin Plastics handle this material, turning it into plastic pellets for manufacturing. In this type of process, bales are opened and inspected, then material is ground up and separated in huge water tanks into ‘floatable’ and ”unfloatable material. Solid plastic pieces are heated and washed to remove labels and glue, then separated once again by density in a centrifuge. This purified plastic is then extruded and made into pellets that can be used to make new plastic products.
Paper and Cardboard: London Drugs’ paper and cardboard recycling is handled by Cascades Recovery, with sorting and baling facilities in Surrey, BC. Some of this recycling is used by Cascades to produce paper products such as 100% Recycled FLUFF toilet tissue, which we sell in our stores.
The London Drugs team really appreciates all the hard work our processors do to ensure that materials are handled safely, efficiently and economically. We also thank YOU, our recycling customers, for making the extra effort to recycle it right. So if you have recycling beyond the blue box, bring it to London Drugs, and remember these 3 steps:
Recycling it right only takes a minute.
May 29th, 2019
Adobe Stock
London Drugs and Brita are making it easier than ever to stay hydrated sustainably. First of all, you are making a real difference by filtering your own water rather than buying it in plastic. One Brita filter can replace as many as 300 plastic bottles.
When it’s time to change the filter, just bring the old one to London Drugs and drop it off for responsible recycling the next time you’re buying new filters. In partnership with Terracycle, Brita filters are collected and recycled into different products or manufacturer-ready raw materials. Since the launch of the program, 10,826 Brita filters have been recycled into affordable, environmentally- friendly products.
So filter out the chlorine odour and contaminants, enjoy fresher tasting water anytime and reduce your plastic footprint. Isn’t that refreshing?
Take a look at Brita pitchers, water bottles, and filters available at London Drugs.
January 17th, 2019
Recycling things right is a lot easier if your home recycling zone is organized and looking fresh. Here are some ideas (and products) to help you turn your recycling corner from dumping pile to decorator drop zone!
1. List Your Local Recycling Streams . Regional recycling regulations vary, so look online for the latest on curbside pickup streams for your municipality. This will help you decide how many bins you will need and what sort of space you’ll require. Here are a few links to some of the major municipalities:
Calgary2. Choose a Bin System . A set of stackable containers or matching baskets can help your recycling zone feel like a more designed part of your home
Small – For Apartments & Condos: If all you have is the corner of a closet, the Sterilite Weave 3 Drawer Tower is a tidy solution. Combine with a 6L Good Natured Kitchen Compost Collector.
Medium – Perfect for Small Family Living: Sterilite Stacking Drawers are a great modular system that can stack vertically or side by side. Each has a 26L capacity to hold lots of recyclables. Combine with a 7.1L Sureclose Foodscrap Container.
Large – For Bigger Homes and Extended Families: If you have dedicated recycling space in a mud room or garage, consider a set of 39L Tall Recyclers by Good Natured. (They are even made from 90% plant-based materials and no nasty chemicals!) Line with a plastic bag for easy emptying. For compost and food scraps, up-size with the Good Natured 8L Tall Compost Collector.
Decorator – Recycle with Style: If your recycling zone is part of your living area, create a clean, neutral-tone statement with NeatFreak Storage Bins in a NeatFreak Stackable Shelf. Even your compost can dress up with a London Drugs brand compost bin, in grey bamboo or stainless steel finish.
3. Have Fun With Labels: Using your local recycling stream list as a guide, create some custom labels that match your bins. Create and print them on sticker stock from your computer, or make it a family art project. Your recycling, your look!
4. Set up an area for special recycling. There are a lot of things you can recycle beyond what gets picked up at the curb. Your local London Drugs takes batteries, electronics, small appliances, soft plastics, Styrofoam and more. A Good Natured Curbside Recycler Bin makes it easy to grab on your way out the door.
5. Have a Grand Opening! Share your new recycling zone with your family or roommates to make sure everyone knows what goes where. Because now your recycling zone ROCKS!! And that’s the REAL Green Deal!
January 15th, 2019
With it’s focus on organic products, Nature’s Path has been a star in our What’s the Green Deal product information program for over a decade. Now we are proud to say they have been named our Sustainable Vendor of the Year. This recognizes not only their product innovation and popularity with customers, but their commitment to sustainable practices, from the farm to the shelf. Nature’s Path Organic Foods is a privately held, family-owned company, producing Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified breakfast and snack foods, sold in over 50 countries.
London Drugs annual event at Mississauga Living Arts Centre , Nov. 4-5 , 2018.
Peter Bregg Photos
London Drugs Awards Dinner at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto 5, 2018.
Organic – and beyond. As well as scoring highly on waste diversion, supply chain and greenhouse gas emissions, Nature’s Path shows how they go further with their commitments and programs. Here are a few examples:
Sustainable does NOT mean boring! From the power of Pretzel & Peanut Nut Butter Bars to the dark chocolate indulgence of Love Crunch Granola, Nature’s Path product innovation is as impressive as their sustainability. It’s a line of foods that constantly invites customers to try new flavours and experiences.
If you like voting for sustainability with your food purchases, choose Nature’s Path. We did!
January 4th, 2019
Last holiday season, Canada Post delivered a record 62 million parcels. (1) That’s a lot of cardboard, over-wrap, bubble wrap and Styrofoam that should be kept out of our landfills. Packaging Recycling Amnesty 2019 is London Drugs’ way of helping people responsibly recycle their recyclable packaging, by letting them simply bring it to one of our stores.
London Drugs customers can already get their packaging recycled for free. Now we’re offering Package Recycling Amnesty to all.
London Drugs has been offering free ‘Bring Back the Pack’ packaging recycling services for London Drugs purchases since 2008. Now, for Package Recycling Amnesty 2019 we are pleased to extend this service, taking back recyclable packaging customers bring in no matter what the origin.
It’s easy. Just gather up your recyclable packaging and bring it to your local London Drugs.
Many locations have a recycling centre right near the front of the store. For stores without a centre, or if you’re just not sure what goes where, just talk to customer service and they’ll help you take care of it.
What types of recyclable packaging can you bring in?
According to some studies, packaging makes up about 30% of household waste. (2) But you might be surprised how much of that can now be responsibly recycled and diverted from landfills, including:.
• Cardboard
• Hard Plastics
• Soft Plastics
• Styrofoam
• Plastic Over-Wrap
In BC stores, you can also bring in Other Flexible Packaging (3)
Through a pilot program with RecycleBC we are accepting a wide variety of flexible plastics including:
• Stand up and Zipper Lock Pouches
• Crinkly Wrappers and Bags, (Including chip bags, bar and candy wrappers)
• Flexible Packaging with Plastic Seal
• Woven Net and Plastic Bags
• Non-Food Protective Packaging
These materials are being used to research the development of new recycling processes and generate engineered fuel.
Sorry, there are some things we can’t accept…
We want to help our customers and families, so we cannot take commercial loads – household packaging only. And store managers may have to refuse some recycling based on material, condition or space available. We hope you understand, and we will do our best to help.
You can recycle a lot more than packaging at your local London Drugs.
We believe we have a responsibility to the communities we serve, and helping reduce waste is a big part of that. So we offer in-store recycling for all of the items listed below:
• Electrical and Electronic goods (TVs, VCRs, computers, printers etc)
• Small Appliances
• Styrofoam, plastic and cardboard packaging from our products
• Cell phones, PDAs and rechargeable batteries
• Alkaline Batteries
• Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL’s) and fluorescent lights up to 4-ft
• Disposable cameras
• Ink jet cartridges
• Laser cartridges
• Metal film canisters
• Plastic bags
• Insurance plastic folders
So if you want a clean start to 2019, start at your local London Drugs.
(1) https://www.canadapost.ca/assets/pdf/aboutus/financialreports/2017_ar_complete_en.pdf
(2) https://www.livescience.com/50581-packaging-no-longer-the-nightmare-some-claim.html
December 4th, 2018
As a reformed re-gifter, Uncle Jack knows it can be tempting to repurpose stuff that may be lying around. So here are his top 10 things you should ALWAYS recycle – by bringing them to your local London Drugs!
Old Televisions –Tube style TVs are heavy – that’s because the tubes contain lead. So always bring them in for responsible recycling. Just go to the customer service desk at your local London Drugs and they will let you know where to drop them off in the store. You can also bring in any broken or unwanted flat screens and computer monitors.
Computers – Besides being slow and outdated, old computers can still contain valuable data, even after you erase the drive. Recycle them at your London Drugs computer department and we make sure the drives are destroyed before they leave the store, and all electronics are processed into raw materials in Canada before shipping.
Printers – Just because it may still work, doesn’t mean its gift worthy. Bring your old printer,scanner or fax to the London Drugs computer department and our recycling elves will take care of it.
Cell Phones – These devices can also carry data, and contain valuable materials that should be repurposed. Drop them off, along with all extra cords and chargers, at your local London Drugs.
Your Old Stereo – From the outdated amplifier to the cassette deck that never did work that well, all old audio equipment can be recycled at London Drugs. How does that sound?
Small Appliances – Your hair dryer from 1986 and that blender that doesn’t crush ice any more make bad gifts, but good recycling. Any small appliance with a cord can be dropped off at London Drugs.
Light Bulbs – These would make strange stocking stuffers, indeed. Better to recycle all incandescents, CFLs, LEDs, and even fluorescent tubes up to 4 feet long, at – you guessed it – London Drugs. Oh, and we take Christmas lights, too.
Batteries – Maybe they work, a little bit. Maybe not. In any case, old batteries should NOT be included under the tree. Recycle them with us, along with button-style batteries, rechargeables, and even camera and computer batteries.
Smoke Alarms – OK, even Uncle Jack at his worst would not have re-gifted one of these. But we should mention that smoke alarms actually contain a tiny bit of radioactive material, and need to be disposed of properly. With us.
Styrofoam – No one wants a squeaky surprise in their stocking. Bring all your household styrofoam, from egg cartons to packaging to meat tray (rinsed!) and we will have it recycled into styrene plastic that can be used again.
Want to see what else you can recycle at London Drugs? Visit greendeal.ca to learn more.
October 26th, 2018
With the growth of eCommerce and online ordering, it’s important to know that the company filling your order is working to reduce their environmental impact.
That’s why we were excited and humbled to be recognized nationally by Canada Post for Social Impact in the eCommerce industry.
As part of our award entry, the What’s the Green Deal team prepared a 5-minute video outlining some of our recycling services, processes and successes.
Last year alone,we helped recycle 3,711 pounds of cell phones (32% increase over 2016); 42,155 pounds of fluorescent lights (9% increase over 2016); 122,780 pounds of batteries (5% increase over 2016); and 370,751 pounds of electronics (10,000 pounds more than in 2016). We also diverted 93.9% of waste from landfill.
But we wouldn’t have received this award without the hard work of our employees and the support of customers who care.
Our londondrugs.com eCommerce team and our warehouse employees work hard to promote all 4 pillars of the What’s the Green Deal? sustainability platform.
London Drugs customers who order online and pick up in-store can also bring back their packaging, as well as any ‘beyond the blue box’ recycling accepted at their local store.
So we share this award with YOU! And we can all click with that!
August 10th, 2018
Sunscreen is one of those things we are supposed to apply liberally to our arms, legs, face and kids. … so what’s actually IN it? How does it work? Are some sunscreens ‘greener’ than others? Here’s a little summertime reading for anyone planning to protect themselves from the sun.
1. How sunscreen works: There are 2 types:
MINERAL sunscreen creates a layer of particles (zinc or titanium oxide) that deflect the sun’s rays.
• Effective immediately
• Does not degrade from UV exposure
• Does not penetrate the skin
• Also effective against UVA rays
• Safe for use in coral areas
CHEMICAL sunscreen uses compounds that absorb the sun’s rays and turn them into non-damaging wavelengths.
• Easy to apply, non-whitening
• Requires wait time to be effective
• Chemicals can penetrate skin
Chemicals degrade when exposed to UV
May harm coral reefs
2. Chemical Sunscreen Ingredients
Chemical sunscreens typically contain a combination of two to six of the following active ingredients:
oxybenzone
octinoxate
octisalate
octocrylene
homosalate
avobenzone
Recently, concerns have been raised about long-term safety of some of these ingredients, particularly oxybenzone (benzophenone-3 ) which, in addition to sun protection, acts as a penetration enhancer. This chemical has been linked to allergies, hormone disruption, and cellular damage.
(Oxybenzone is present in over 500 other North American cosmetic items.) (1)
Watch the Spray!
Spray sunscreens have increased in popularity, but some experts don’t recommend them, because of the hazard of inhaling chemicals and particles. (2)
3.Look for Broad Spectrum Protection
The suns rays come in different lengths, and it’s a good idea to protect against them all.
UVA radiation
• Goes deeper into the skin (dermis).
• Causes premature aging and wrinkles.
• Causes tanning.
UVB radiation
• Affects the skin’s surface (epidermis).
• Contributes most to burning of skin.
• Damages your eyes. (5)
4. Is Higher SPF Better?
People assume that they get twice as much protection from SPF 100 sunscreen as from SPF 50. In reality, the extra protection may be negligible. Used correctly, sunscreen with SPF values in the range of 30 to 50 will offer adequate protection, even for people most sensitive to sunburn. (6)
UV protection does not follow a linear relationship, meaning that if you apply half of the recommended amount you get LESS than half of the labeled SPF protection.
5. Protect ecosystems and coral too – with biodegradable and Reef Safe options
25 to 60 million bottles worth of sunscreen wash off into coral reef areas each year, and researchers have found that common sunscreen chemicals can be toxic to coral health. (3)
Now Hawaii has passed a law that will ban the sale of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate. Sunscreens with titanium oxide or zinc oxide, (natural mineral ingredients), have not been found harmful to corals. (4) If you are swimming in nature, choose one of these options.
Great Green Sunscreen Options
London Drugs is pleased to offer a range of sunscreen options. Here are some choices that protect as sustainably as possible:
Attitude Mineral Sunscreens
Mineral- based protection: Non-nano Zinc Oxide
Ecologo Certified™
Vegan, not tested on animals
UVA, UVB protection
Made in Canada
Aveeno Mineral & Aveeno Baby
Mineral based protection
UVA, UVB protection
Badger Sunscreens
Non-Nano Zinc Oxide Mineral Protection
Biodegradable
87% organic ingredients
UVA, UVB protection
Boo Bamboo Natural Sunscreen
Active ingredient: Zinc Oxide, Titanium Oxide
UVA, UVB protection
Made in Canada
Goddess Garden
Certified organic
Non-Nano, Reef Safe, Non-GMO, Biodegradable
Vegan, Cruelty Free, Paraben and Phthalate Free
UVA, UVB protection
Green Beaver
Non-nano zinc oxide and titanium oxide mineral protection
100% natural, biodegradable and reef friendly
Made in Canada
UVA, UVB protection
Neutrogena Sheer Zinc
Active ingredient: Zinc Oxide
UVA, UVB protection
LEARN MORE at greendeal.ca
Blogs, videos, articles & products to help you live a little greener.
Sources:
(1) Source: London Drugs Health Blog 2014 – http://healthblog.londondrugs.com/suncare-update-2014
(2) Source: Environmental Working Group Sunscreen Report 2017 – http://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/executive-summary/#.WW_md4qQxE5
(3) Environmental Working Group – Do the Chemicals in your sunscreen damage fragile coral reefs? – http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2016/07/do-chemicals-your-sunscreen-damage-fragile-coral-reefs#.WW_vvIqQxE4
(4) US National Park Service Bulletin – Protect Yourself, Protect the Reef! – https://cdhc.noaa.gov/_docs/Site%20Bulletin_Sunscreen_final.pdf
(5) Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation -http://www.canadianskincancerfoundation.com/sun-screen.html
(6) Environmental Working Group – What’s wrong with high SPF? – http://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/whats-wrong-with-high-spf/#.WW_054qQxE4
July 7th, 2018
At one of BC’s biggest free family Canada Day events, folks had a chance to learn more about recycling and win some great prizes with the ‘Don’t Just Toss It’ game at London Drugs Recycling Zone. Canadians of all ages lined up to test their accuracy and see just how many recyclables they can bring back to their local store.
The London Drugs team, including Tammy Pearce and Terry Goodman, (pictured) helped handle the lineups and questions from people interested in reducing their waste.
London Drugs was also the sponsor of recycling stations set up all around the grounds, where employees from Green Chair recycling helped event goers separate their waste, diverting plastics, compost, containers and more from landfill.
Happy Canada Day to all, and thanks to everyone who went the extra mile to learn more about recycling and divert their event waste.
We hope to see you again at an event near you!
