Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) are increasingly held to high environmental standards, from reducing carbon emissions to achieving measurable recyclability in their operations. With the UK education sector responsible for roughly 37% of total public sector emissions from buildings¹, MATs are under growing pressure to adopt greener practices.
Tackling Waste with Recyclable Print Components
A key area for improvement is print and consumables. Traditional cartridges, plastics, and e-waste significantly add to landfills. Konica Minolta’s toner recycling scheme and eco-conscious manufacturing help MATs close the loop:
Returnable cartridges and components prevent single-use plastics from going to landfill.
Our devices use recycled materials and come with end-of-life collection programmes.
These efforts mirror broader trends—institutions with recycling initiatives see a 34% reduction in landfill waste², and paper recycling alone saves around 24 trees per ton³. For MATs managing dozens of sites, small changes deliver huge impact.
Educating Through Action
Schools play a vital role in building sustainable habits:
The internationally recognised Eco-Schools programme demonstrates how student-led recycling can engage learners and reduce campus waste⁴.
Practical measures—classroom recycling points, managed print policies, and e-waste bins—reinforce environmental values in daily routines⁵.
With Konica Minolta, MATs can extend these behaviours: secure toner and device recyclables through in-school collection points and easy-return processes. It’s a visible commitment to sustainability that students, parents and Ofsted inspectors appreciate.
Lower Costs, Greater Impact
Aside from environmental gains, recycling reduces costs. The WRAP Business Guide suggests that every tonne of recycled paper saves between £400–1,000 in disposal costs⁶, crucial savings for MAT budgets. Konica Minolta supports this with print management tools (e.g. PaperCut) that monitor usage, enforce duplex printing, and reduce paper waste, enhancing both efficiency and eco-credentials.
Responsible E-Waste Disposal
IT estates generate e-waste and devices like printers, projectors and PCs must be disposed responsibly. Konica Minolta partners with certified e-waste recyclers to ensure GDPR-compliant data sanitisation and zero-footprint disposal, matching best practices in the industry.
Aligning with Net-Zero Goals
Konica Minolta takes sustainability seriously too:
100% of production sites run on renewable electricity
CO₂ emissions down by 61% since 2021
Netzero target set for 2050
By adopting our recycling programmes, MATs not only support these efforts—they also strengthen their own path to net-zero, reflecting a shared vision for a cleaner future.
In Summary
MATs can boost sustainability through proactive recycling and responsible procurement—ensuring consumables, cartridges, and e-waste are managed with environmental and financial responsibility.
Konica Minolta’s expertise, backed by robust recycling schemes and green manufacturing, helps MATs turn printing from an environmental challenge into an eco-friendly asset, supporting student learning, inspiring community action, and guiding trusts toward net-zero sustainability. Get in touch to find out why more schools are turning to Konica Minolta for their sustainable print solutions.
Sources:
UK Dept for Education – 37% public sector emissions (actionsustainability.com)
WRAP (2022) – 34% landfill waste reduction (actionsustainability.com)
HighSpeed Training – 1 tonne saves 24 trees (highspeedtraining.co.uk)
Eco-Schools initiative - https://www.eco-schools.org.uk/
Forge Recycling blog (forgerecycling.co.uk)
WRAP Business Guide – £400–1,000 per tonne saved (businessofrecycling.wrap.ngo)