Staples Expands Ink Cartridge Recycling Program to Offer Staples Rewards for All Brands of Ink and Toner

On Feb. 1, 2009, Staples, Inc. (Nasdaq: SPLS), the world’s largest office products company, will become the first national retailer to offer a comprehensive ink and toner recycling program that rewards customers for recycling any brand or type of cartridge, regardless of manufacturer.

Staples, already the preeminent ink and toner retailer and a leader in recycling ink and toner cartridges, will now allow customers to earn $3 back in Staples Rewards on any brand or type of ink or toner just for choosing to recycle these products instead of throwing them away. In 2008, the company recycled more than 22 million ink and toner cartridges. With this program expansion, Staples expects to recycle more than 30 million cartridges in 2009 and become the world’s largest ink and toner recycler.

Recent studies have shown that seventy percent of cartridges used worldwide are thrown away and almost eight cartridges are discarded per second in the United States alone, adding to the pressing national e-waste problem and preventing tons of readily recyclable materials from being recovered and reused.

This expanded recycling program will make it even easier for customers to recycle their ink and toner cartridges while providing new ways to save money and be more eco-friendly. Customers can simply bring empty cartridges to any Staples store, each of which will earn them $3 back in Staples Rewards® or Staples Teacher Rewards®, on up to 10 cartridges per calendar month. Ink and toner recycling Staples Rewards are sent monthly and can be used on any Staples purchase in store, online or over the phone. This recycling expansion makes it easier for more customers to take advantage of the Staples Rewards program. For full program details, visit www.staplesrewards.com.

"The emergence of user-friendly ink and toner recycling programs like the one Staples is offering is an important step in helping Americans make more environmentally-friendly choices in their daily lives by keeping valuable products and materials out of the waste stream,” said Matt Hale, Director of the Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery of U.S. EPA.

"When it comes to ink and toner sales and recycling, Staples is the easy choice. Not only do we provide great value, but we can also reward customers for their support for the environment,” said Scott Rankin, VP/DMM of technology merchandising, Staples. "Always a strong supporter of environmental conservation through sustainable business practices, Staples continues to make it even easier for our customers to make a difference – what we call EcoEasy.”

Staples’ current recycling programs, part of its EcoEasy commitment, also include cell phones, PDAs, computers and office technology. In 2008, in addition to recycling more than 22 million ink and toner cartridges, the company also recycled approximately 4 million pounds of electronic waste. Staples also opened its first two stores registered with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the recognized standard for measuring building sustainability, and this month, achieved LEED Gold certification for its Biscayne Boulevard store in Miami. All Staples Copy & Print Centers nationwide use recycled paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as the standard offering for black and white high-speed copy and print jobs, and Staples was the first national copy and print provider to make this choice.

About Staples’ Environmental Commitment

Staples long-standing commitment to sustainable business practices is based on four key environmental cornerstones: recycling, offering a wide assortment of eco-friendly products, investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy and educating customers and associates about sustainability. Through its EcoEasy commitment, Staples makes it easy for customers to make a difference for the environment by offering more than 3,000 eco-friendly products and providing everyday, in-store recycling for computers, office technology, personal electronics and ink and toner cartridges. For more on Staples environmental initiatives, please visit www.staples.com/ecoeasy.

About Staples

Staples, the world’s largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With $27 billion in sales, Staples serves businesses of all sizes and consumers in 27 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. In July 2008, Staples acquired Corporate Express, one of the world’s leading suppliers of office products to businesses and institutions. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and is headquartered outside Boston. More information about Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com.