Target jumps on green bandwagon with reduced PVC use

Posted Nov 6th 2007 9:56AM by Zac Bissonnette
Filed under: Good news, Newspapers, Wal-Mart (WMT), Target Corp. (TGT), Green Stocks

Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) has been making headlines for months with its environmental initiatives, and now Target (NYSE: TGT) is in the news. The retailer announced that it will be reducing the use of PVC in packaging and children's products.

The EPA classifies PVC as a human carcinogen. Target has been the subject of protests from environmental groups pressuring the company to reduce its use of PVC and be more environmentally conscious. Of course, Target says its plans to reduce its use of the product predate the protests.

Target's corporate website has a page devoted to its environmental initiatives. A few of the highlights:

"Energy-efficient fluorescent lamps are used throughout our stores, a first in the retail industry. We are currently changing our sales floor lighting from a three-lamp to a two-lamp fixture, which will reduce our energy consumption by 22 percent."
"Four stores in California draw 20 percent of their annual electricity needs from their own rooftop solar-panel systems. In 2007, Target will retrofit 14 more California stores to operate on solar power."
In 2006, the company "reused 385 million garment hangers and recycled 2.1 million pounds of plastic and 153,000 pounds of metal from broken hangers."

Wal-Mart and Target appear to be locked in a battle to one-up each other on environmental responsibility, and that's great news for the planet.

Tags: carcinogens, environment, Green, inthenews, PVC, Target, TGT, Wal-Mart, WMT

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

11-06-2007 @ 11:40PM

Brockage said...

Target to Wal-Mart: "me too, me too."

11-07-2007 @ 7:46AM

cliff corson said...

Target has long been working with enviromental issues/

Unlike some companies -- walmart included -- Target doesn't feel the need to constantly announce when they do additional enviromental improvements.

In redards to hanger recycling, Target has done this for a number of years and the plastic recycling has also been done at the DC's for close to a decade now. Even when companies do plan on recycling programs it isn't always possible since not all areas have recyclers that can handle the items

cliff

11-11-2007 @ 8:20AM

harry said...

nice it's going green, but now if we only get back the salvation army ringers they kicked out. i seem to remember the salvation army lost 17 miliion dollars in donations when they did that. i won't step foot in target..