"Green" is a general term used to describe the philosophies, products, and practices that are designed to have a more positive effect on the environment. It is always better to be specific about environmental claims, and our "What's the Green Deal?" program is here to help do just that.
When thinking about environmental effects, it is necessary to go beyond the product on the shelf and consider its impact over the product's whole life cycle. This can include considerations like:
This is a measure of how a product or behaviour contributes to the levels of carbon in our atmosphere, usually expressed in tonnes of CO2. There are differing measurement techniques and ways it may be possible to "offset" the carbon production.
Each London Drugs store has a dedicated internal recycling area, where all cardboard, plastic wrap, bubble wrap, metals, plastics and containers from store operations are collected in master bins for pickup and return to the warehouse, where they are separated and sent for recycling.
Appliances: If you have an old, non-working small appliance that you purchased here, we will take it back for recycling. On items not purchased at London Drugs, recycling fees will apply to offset recycling costs. We gladly waive these fees if the item was purchased at London Drugs and you have the receipt.
Packaging: Any recyclable packaging that came with products purchased here can be returned to the store.
Electronics: We accept all old televisions, VCRs, monitors, printers, faxes, computers and anything covered in the Provincial recycling policy. Just bring them to the electronics department for recycling. On items not purchased at London Drugs, recycling fees will apply to offset recycling costs. We gladly waive these fees if the item was purchased at London Drugs and you have the receipt, OR if a replacement item with an equal or greater recycling fee value is purchased from London Drugs at the time of drop-off.
Note: Our recycling service is designed to handle items that are at the end of their usable life. For items that are still working and usable, consider donating them to local charities such as Salvation Army Thrift Stores or Freegeek.org Contact your Municipal or Provincial recycling authority for more information on the services available in your area.
RoHS stands for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive, a European standard for electronics that restricts the use of six chemicals:
London Drugs works to ensure as many of our electronic products as possible are RoHS compliant. Want to know more? Just ask.
Only manufacturers and retailers whose products meet the ENERGY STAR criteria can label their products with this symbol. Choosing an ENERGY STAR-labelled product over a conventional model could save you hundreds of dollars in energy costs. When you use less energy, less electricity needs to be produced. So you are reducing GHG emissions and promoting cleaner air.
Recyclable products or packaging can be sent to qualified recyclers, and kept out of the waste stream. Recycling programs are in place in most major Canadian cities, but not all accept the same products. London Drugs accepts many recyclables right at the store. Ask at customer service.
Recycled products and packaging are made with a percentage of content that would have otherwise gone to the landfill. This can include manufacturing waste or post-consumer waste. Look for percentages of recycled content in packaging and products.
Organic Production Organic farming uses natural processes to maintain soil productivity and control pests, excluding or strictly limiting the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified organisms. Look for organic certification right on the label.
Natural Ingredients There is no official government regulated definition for the term natural. The US Food & Drug Administration refers to natural ingredients as "ingredients extracted directly from plants or animal products as opposed to being produced synthetically. Check the ingredients and ask your London Drugs associate if you want to know more.
Look for the "What's The Green Deal?" signs throughout our stores for information on some of the environmental benefits of our products and tips on shopping a little greener.