Edmund Optics is working on reducing its impact on the environment by identifying multiple environmental aspects. Some areas include paper reduction, smarter packaging, more environmentally friendly practices in the kitchen and cafeteria and improving our recycling practices. To reduce our paper consumption all printers are set to print double sided employees are encouraged to use electronic alternatives to printing. This has cut our printer paper use drastically. Our packaging is going to be redesigned to reduce waste over time. In the kitchen and cafeteria supplies will be switched to biodegradable environmentally friendly alternatives and recycling will be implemented throughout the building.

To improve our environmental impact on the warehouse floor we are taking steps towards switching several of our secondary packing materials. These include switching out our plastic foam wrapping and cloth bags for lens packaging to more sustainable alternatives. We are replacing our old packaging with recycled and biodegradable cardboard and glassine envelopes. Additionally, we are partnering with a packaging company to redesign our primary packaging to reduce excess shipping waste.

In 2014 Edmund Optics Barrington alone used approximately 52,000 Styrofoam cups which averages out to be about 276 cups per person a year. In efforts to change this, the use of Styrofoam cups has been eliminated. All employees have been issued reusable coffee mugs and drinking cups. Another item that was changed in the kitchen was the plastic utensils which were replaced with biodegradable alternatives. This has been a great success. Plastic and Styrofoam cups are nowhere to be found in the building and single use utensils will now biodegrade in landfills.

We strive to ensure the proper disposal of all waste in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. To do this we are partnering with waste and recycling plants to take care of waste and recyclables that are generated both the office and the warehouse. This includes but is not limited to 15 tons of cardboard and 5 tons of paper every year. To improve our recycling habits from an individual level we have single stream recycling bins throughout the offices and cafeteria.

Edmund Optics strives not just to meet, but exceed, all applicable environmental regulations and laws where we do business and being RoHS compliant is a part of that. RoHS Directive Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Recast or "RoHS 2" was adopted June 8, 2011, and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on July 1, 2011, thereby establishing its effective dates. It repeals the original RoHS Directive, which has regulated hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) since June 2006.

The RoHS directive regulates the use of six hazardous substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and the flame retardants: PBDE – polybrominated diphenyl ether and PBB – polybrominated biphenyl) in electrical and electronic products and restricts them from being sold on the European Union market.

The RoHS directive under the Recast now includes a CE-marking directive. This means if an electrical/electronic product, device or equipment has the CE mark, it is also RoHS compliant. The impact of the RoHS directive can be seen around the world. Most product manufacturers, importers, and exporters, as well as consumers, require the products they purchase to meet this directive or use an exemption that allows the product to be sold in the EU marketplace.

What happens if my product contains one of these six hazardous materials?
A product that exceeds the maximum levels allowed by the directive cannot be sold in the European Union after July 1, 2006. Remember that many other countries have developed their own version of RoHS and other initiatives to restrict substances that may be hazardous.

Will the products I buy from Edmund Optics comply with the RoHS Directive?
As a manufacturer and supplier of a diverse range of products, EO continuously reviews our product offering with product designers and suppliers to improve our product lines and meet RoHS requirements whenever possible. Due to the complex nature of optics, many optical components must include the use of restricted substances to maintain the effective refractive index, partial dispersion, and UV transmittance for various technical applications. These products that contain these substances utilize exemptions, which are reviewed on a regular basis by the appropriate regulating body. We may find that an exemption has not been renewed or it has expired. We will do our due diligence in ensuring that the website and all documentation is updated at our earliest opportunity should this occur.

What changes occurred with RoHS 2 that impact Edmund Optics product lines?
Exemption Expirations: There is now an expiration on the exemptions used on some of our products. These exemptions may be renewed by the EU Commission no earlier than 6 months before the expiration.

CE Mark: Required for electronics that EO will import into the European Union directly. This does not impact our optical materials and products that are not considered electronics. If an item that you wish to purchase is not RoHS compliant, please contact one of our Product Support Specialists who can assist you in obtaining a RoHS compliant product for your application needs. To learn the current status of specific stock numbers and print a certificate for compliant stock numbers, use our RoHS Lookup Tool.

Another regulation we are continually working to comply with is REACH- Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. REACH aims to protect both human health and the environment from the risks chemicals present. As the list of chemicals is updated several times a year, Edmund Optics is maintaining a database to continually work to meet this regulation.

Volunteer work is valued at Edmund Optics and therefore all full time employees are offered a paid day off a year where they can volunteer with any nonprofit or charity of their choice. Some of the organizations employees have volunteered with are Surfrider Foundation, Newton Creek Watershed, Sustainable Haddonfield, GMO Free NJ and many more.

Edmund Optics Barrington hosts a take your child to work day every year where employees take their children to work for a day of fun. The children get to explore optics with members of the company and conduct experiments together. At the end of the day everyone gathers to plant a tree to commemorate the day that will grow for years to come.

Each month Edmund Optics partners with a charity which employees can donate too. The amount donated by the employees is matched by the company and then donated to the specific charity, some of which go to charities with an environmental focus.