When companies lead

Hu-Friedy launched its Environdent instrument recycling program 15 years ago, long before it was the cause du-jour. In celebration of its 15th anniversary, the Environdent program is being updated to make it even more accessible.

“Before, you had to purchase, then recycle, then you’d receive your free instrument. We want people to be able to recycle without that initial purchase,” said Victoria Goodman, Senior Product Manager at Hu-Friedy. “Starting in April, we are eliminating the need to purchase. If somebody wants to clean out their drawers, for every 12 hand instruments recycled, we send a free instrument. It’s something small practices can do and do right away."

And while the main components of the Hu-Friedy Environdent program focus on sending instruments and receiving credit for free instruments, the critical environmental factor is what happens after the instruments to be recycled are received. That’s when Hu-Friedy’s commitment really shines through behind the scenes.

“Hu-Friedy ensures that we partner with metal scrappers who recycle the instruments and convert them into metal for non-medical and non-dental applications,”  Xochitl Javier, Product Manager at Hu-Friedy explains. “The metal finds new life in the making of things such as bridges, car bumpers, appliance parts, and more. Participation in Environdent produces multiple benefits for the environment and dental practices.”