How To Recycle And Reuse Used Ink and Toner Cartridges

In our last blog post, we presented some pretty worrying impacts your printer may have on the environment; impacts such as deforestation, environmental pollution and unnecessary energy use.

Over the next couple of blog posts we'll be talking you through some of the actions you can take to make your printing more environmentally friendly , starting today with something close to our hearts here at Cartridge World - printer cartridge recycling.

Ink and toner cartridges, as useful as they are, require a lot of energy and materials to manufacture. The plastic casing, the chip inside the cartridge, the ink itself; all of these essential components need to be manufactured and this process has a significant impact on the environment. The carbon footprint of a new ink cartridge is estimated to be around 4.5kg of CO2.

Everytime you throw an old ink cartridge in the bin and purchase a brand new cartridge, this process has to be repeated. This wouldn’t be too much of an issue if the odd person threw their cartridges away but it’s estimated that 45.5 million cartridges in the UK end up in the landfill every year. With 65 million cartridges used every year, that means only 30% of print cartridges are recycled.

The Benefits of Recycling

That lowly 30% is a real shame because recycling your old cartridges has never been easier. Recycling your old cartridges not only protects the environment but can save you a lot of money too. The average recycled print cartridge has a carbon footprint of 2.8kg of CO2, 46% less than that of a new cartridge.

So how can you go about recycling your old ink and toner cartridges?

OEM Recycling Schemes

The impetus on reducing the environmental impacts of printing has spurred most major print manufacturers to introduce their own recycling schemes. These schemes generally involve the consumer sending the manufacturer back their old cartridge in a package provided with the cartridge. The various components of the cartridge are then recycled and reused accordingly.

This is one of the easiest ways to recycle your cartridge but doesn’t necessarily represent the best value as once the cartridge has gone, you’ll need to buy a new cartridge.

Refill Your Old Cartridges

A better value method of recycling your old cartridges is to reuse them by refilling the ink supply. A common misconception among consumers is that the depletion of ink means that the cartridge as a whole is useless - this is akin to thinking a remote control is useless because the batteries have run out.

In most instances, a depleted ink cartridge can be refilled and reused again although the other components of a cartridges will wear out eventually. There are two principal ways of refilling your old cartridges; using a refill kit and doing it yourself at home or using a professional refilling service such as that offered by Cartridge World.

Although both are proven to work, the safest option if you aren’t sure how to refill a cartridge is the latter. Ink cartridges are surprisingly complex and there are plenty of risks associated with refilling your own ink cartridges, especially if you have never done it before! Having your cartridge refilled by a professional is quick, easy and won’t put a dent in your bank balance, particularly when compared to the cost of buying a new cartridge!

Buying Remanufactured Cartridges

So what happens once you can’t refill a cartridge anymore? Do you need to buy a brand new cartridge? The answer, quite simply, is no. Remanufactured ink and toner cartridges are cartridges repurposed from recycled materials and have far less of an environmental impact than new cartridges. They’re cheaper than their new equivalents too!

Business Collection Schemes

One of the most common excuses when it comes to recycling is a lack of time, or complaining that the process takes too much effort. Businesses are especially guilty of reeling off this excuse, but with the likes of Cartridge World’s business direct service, recycling your old office supplies is simple.

Our business direct scheme sees us collect your old ink and toner cartridges, take them away to be refilled or recycled before delivering a batch of refilled or remanufactured print cartridges ready to use right away. You don’t even need to leave the office, as we do it all for you!

Recycling your old ink and toner cartridges has never been easier and with the environment at such a critical stage, there really is no excuse not to be recycling. So what are you waiting for? Get down to your local Cartridge World store or check out our range of compatible ink cartridges online!

Image Credit: The Guardian