The Print Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, produces various materials in a wide variety of languages. These include copies of the Book of Mormon, Church magazines, handbooks, manuals, pamphlets and even sacrament cups.
These materials have spiritual and educational significance and also carry a sacred responsibility of care and stewardship that follows the divine guidance from the First Presidency.
“For me, it is a very touching thing to think that our Creator has given so much responsibility to man,” said Gérald Caussé, Presiding Bishop of the Church. “As we live upon the earth, we have that responsibility to care for what He created for us. That’s a way to honor Him. To love Him.”
The stewardship starts, but doesn’t stop, with using recycled materials. Every scrap from the cutting, trimming and slicing process is collected by vacuums and ducts. They are then sent to the baler room to be recycled. Dust from sanding is also collected, compressed, and repurposed.
“And believe it or not, we make bales of just dust,” explained Felipe Rivera, Print Center maintenance supervisor.
In addition to paper waste, other materials are also recycled. Rivera says they recycle 220 tons of materials a month, which includes 40 tons of plastic and 2-3 tons of aluminum.
The weekly ordinance of the sacrament, held on the Sabbath Day, where bread and water are shared in remembrance of Jesus Christ, uses individual cups. These cups are produced at the Print center from 100% recycled plastic. After worship they can be fully recycled where local municipalities allow. Excess plastic from the production of these cups is also recycled.
In the past, the Church produced sacrament cups using paper with a wax coating. The cups were made from 30%-70% recycled plastic. However, it was found that 100% recycled plastic has a lower environmental impact regarding carbon emissions, energy, water use and solid waste. This has since become the new global standard for their production.
The Church also has initiatives to reduce electronic waste, including outdated or broken electronic equipment from the Print Center, as well as over 6,500 Church meetinghouses, temples, family history centers and other facilities across the United States. The Church’s stewardship efforts also extend to other areas around the world, including Peru and Ecuador where Church-owned stores offer reuseable shopping bags. The Church’s Distribution Center in Brazil has a machine that repurposes cardboard packaging. This prevents 2,000 pounds of waste per month.
To read more about the Church’s stewardship initiatives read the full story here.