Remediation

HP is committed to addressing chemical releases from historical site operations. We are involved in soil and groundwater remediation, and where necessary, we also clean up sites affected by the improper disposal and recycling of HP’s wastes by third parties. HP is involved in soil and groundwater remediation at seven third-party sites that have been closed or are undergoing environmental monitoring.

We often build new operations on land that has previously been developed, including former industrial sites that may have environmental concerns. This reduces our expansion into undeveloped areas but means we may need to remediate some sites prior to use. In selected cases, we acquire sites that are contaminated, and we address the contamination as a part of site development.

We apply our environmental, health and safety (EHS) management system to prevent and respond to chemical spills at HP facilities. No significant spills occurred during 2009.

Biodiversity

HP’s direct operational impact on biodiversity is minimal, because we build very few operations relative to our growth, and often build on land that has previously been developed. Our real estate, including acquisitions, is typically reduced year over year. However, we use significant amounts of paper each year, so we have an indirect impact on biodiversity through forestry. We strive to reduce the amount of paper we use, and only buy paper from suppliers that demonstrate environmental values and a commitment to sustainable forestry practices.

Read more about paper at HP.