In a drive to build upon its ongoing environmental initiatives, CommScope Inc. is expanding its cable reel recycling program to customers of Andrew Wireless Solutions, the company’s division that is a global leader in communications systems and products.

The Andrew Reel Recycling Program is an effort to reduce the waste of reels on which Andrew’s HELIAX® cables are shipped. CommScope launched its own ReelSmart® recycling program in 1988 for its broadband and wireless cable reels, and today recycles more than 66,000 reels per year, saving approximately 20,000 trees annually. The North Carolina-based company has twice won the Governor’s Award of Excellence in the large business waste reduction category.

“We expect the Reel Recycling Program to drive a higher level of participation and have a far greater environmental impact than the smaller scale reel recovery program Andrew previously had in place,” said Stan Catey, group vice president and general manager, Cable Products, Andrew. “We are very excited to leverage CommScope’s prior experience in making this program a noteworthy success for customers, ourselves, and the global environment.”

The Andrew program will be launched in the US and Western Europe this year. It currently is available in Spain, with the US rollout set for June, to be followed by additional European nations later in the year. Andrew hopes to recycle more than 15,000 reels in the continental US alone during the first year of the Reel Recycling Program.

To encourage participation, Andrew has begun charging customers for reels used for shipping HELIAX cables. These charges will be partially or completely reimbursed to customers who participate in the Reel Recycling Program, depending on the condition of the reels when returned. Reels returned in excellent condition may even be awarded reimbursement above the initial charge. Cable reels, made of mostly high grade wood, are used in shipping and storing transmission line cables, with sizes ranging as large as 3.5 meters in diameter.