How the Church Manages Material Waste

Note: This is the second in a series of reports on environmental stewardship projects by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The topics will include water conservation, waste management and solar energy.

The Print Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, produces a wide range of materials in a variety of languages, including Church magazines, copies of the Book of Mormon, handbooks, manuals, pamphlets and even sacrament cups.

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Beyond their spiritual and educational significance, these materials also carry a sacred responsibility of care and stewardship, following 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.”

Recycling at Every Step

Stewardship begins at the Print Center using recycled materials, but it doesn’t stop there. Every scrap generated during the cutting, trimming and slicing processes is collected through a series of vacuums and ducts and sent to the baler room to be recycled. Even the dust generated by sanding is collected, compressed and repurposed. “And believe it or not, we make bales of just dust,” explained Felipe Rivera, Print Center maintenance supervisor.

Beyond paper waste, other materials are also recycled. “We recycle around 220 tons a month of paper; around 40 tons of plastic every month; and aluminum, 2 to 3 tons a month,” Rivera said.

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Sacrament Cups

The sacrament, a weekly ordinance 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, and after worship, they can be fully recycled where local municipalities allow. Excess plastic from the production of these cups is also recycled.

Previously, the Church produced sacrament cups using paper with a wax coating in addition to cups made from 30%-70% recycled plastic. However, 100% recycled plastic was found to have a lower environmental impact to carbon emissions, energy and water use, and solid waste and has since become the new global standard.

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Managing Electronic Waste

The Church strives to take an equally responsible approach to electronic waste. Any outdated or broken electronic equipment from the Print Center — or from over 6,500 Church meetinghouses, temples, family history centers and other facilities across the United States — is routed to an office in Salt Lake City instead of being sent to a landfill. If not recycled properly, electronic waste is toxic to the environment.

“Mormon, in the Book of Mormon, says there will be great pollutions in the earth in the last days, and we don’t want to be a contributor to those great pollutions,” said Jeff Christensen, manager of surplus.

The Church ensures all electronics are inventoried, erased and assessed for further use. When possible, working laptops are repurposed for meaningful causes, including BYU-Pathway Worldwide and genealogy projects in Africa.

“If we can reuse equipment to help further the mission of the Church, that’s so wonderful,” said Dorisa Wilson, a solution manager for the Church.

For electronics beyond reuse, the Church contracts with TAMS, a professional recycling firm, to ensure proper disposal. Items sent to TAMS are broken down into individual components and responsibly recycled. “Every single component that we handle here has a home downstream, and we avoid anything going into the landfill,” said Jason Dye, a partner at TAMS.

Efforts to Reduce Waste in Latin America

The Church’s commitment to stewardship extends well beyond Utah. Around the world, sustainable efforts are being implemented to reduce waste.

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In Peru and Ecuador, Church-owned stores now offer reusable shopping bags, a practice expanding to other areas. “This way, we help the environment and our [members],” said Marlon Suarez of Distribution Services in Peru.

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At the Church’s Distribution Center in Brazil, a machine repurposes used cardboard packaging, preventing around 2,000 pounds of waste each month. At the Church’s area office in Brazil, a composting machine processes organic waste, producing material that is then used in landscaping. They also use recycled plastic bottles to produce shirts for youth conferences. These are just a few small examples of how Latter-day Saints make a difference. “Each and every effort is extremely important, from the smallest to the largest project,” said Ruben Arias, director for temporal affairs in the Brazil Area.

Through dedicated sustainability initiatives, the Church continues to demonstrate that stewardship of the earth is not just a practical responsibility — it is a sacred duty. “We have received that special responsibility from God to take care of His creations, and every one of us, collectively and individually, we have something to do,” said Bishop Caussé.

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