3.26.2001 ET

(CSRwire) Staples, Inc., (SPLS) has become a partner of America Recycles Day, the office supplies and services retailer announced today. Staples will be a participant in the America Recycles Day events held throughout the country Nov. 15, 2001. Last year, more than 3.3 million Americans participated in events in all 50 states, two U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Staples is positively committed to enhancing and preserving the environment and is pleased to be able to share its message through this worthwhile program.

"Staples has long been the leader in the office superstore category and we have dedicated ourselves to being the environmental leader in this category as well," said Staples Vice Chairman Joseph Vassalluzzo.

Through its retail stores, online services and catalogs, Staples currently offers a combined 1,000 recycled products. Each Staples store contains approximately 400 different paper products that contain post consumer recycled content. The company is also working with its vendors to bring in additional recycled and alternative source offerings. Staples was chosen by the Environmental Protection Agency to be its Green Lights Retail Partner of the Year in 1999.

Realizing that a large part of resource management is education, Staples is placing a new emphasis on better educating its customers on the importance of recycled products. Staples recently installed more prominent signs to alert customers to its recycled paper offerings. The corporate website, www.staples.com, will soon feature an educational section to highlight the value of recycled products.

"We are pleased and excited that Staples will be an active participant in America Recycles Day 2001," said America Recycles Day board Chairman Pablo Collins. "A Staples Superstore is a great place for the American public to learn about the value and quality of products containing recycled materials."

Staples will continue its ink jet cartridge recycling program in Staples stores. In the coming months, copy centers located in Staples stores will offer recycled paper.

In addition to its customer education program and corporate resource management efforts, Staples will work with America Recycles Day event coordinators throughout the country to sponsor activities to create awareness for recycled products. Staples is working to change the way manufacturers think about office products.

Staples, Inc., is an $11 billion retailer of office supplies, furniture and technology to consumers and businesses from home-based businesses to Fortune 500 companies in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal. Headquartered outside Boston, Staples invented the office superstore concept and today is the largest operator of office superstores in the world. The company has over 50,000 employees serving customers through more than 1,300 office superstores, mail order catalogs, e-commerce and a contract business. More information about the company is available at http://www.staples.com.

For more information please contact: