Neways Helps Raise Funds for Polio Vaccinations

SPRINGVILLE, UTAH (Feb. 24, 2009) As a socially conscious company that is always on the lookout for ways to help others, Neways Japan has recently been involved with a large-scale plastic-cap-recycling project to raise funds for polio vaccinations. To date, more than 3.5 million beverage caps collected by Neways have been recycled, and the proceeds have purchased polio vaccinations for more than 4,000 people. The effort is known as the Eco Cap Project.

Working together with a volunteer organization called Group MATE, Neways Japan staff members and independent distributors have been collecting and sorting the caps at several Neways showrooms. The plastic caps are then sold for recycling to Tokyo Mokkosho, and the resulting funds are donated to the Japan committee of a nonprofit organization called Vaccines for the World’s Children. Out of 1,930 participating organizations, Neways Japan has collected the second-highest number of caps.

In addition to providing vaccinations to needy children, the Eco Cap Project is also providing environmental benefits. By recycling the caps instead of incinerating them, air pollution has been reduced by nearly 30,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide to date. In addition, the collection bins in Neways showrooms are made of Eco Ply, which contains recycled material from caps that have been gathered.

“We greatly appreciate all the Neways distributors and staff for your generous help in collecting and sorting the caps,” said a representative of the Eco Cap Project.

“We are very pleased that our Japan partners have taken the initiative to get involved with such a worthwhile project,” said Neways CEO Eric Larsen. “It’s inspiring to see Neways employees and distributors combining their volunteer efforts. I would like to see more of this kind of activity around the world, both within Neways and wherever people are blessed with the prosperity to help those who are less fortunate.”