| Each year, millions of empty toner and inkjet | | | | remanufactured or refilled. They are incinerated. |
| cartridges are thrown into the trash, ending up in | | | | To be fair, mention must be made that the |
| our planet’s landfills or incinerators. Recycling | | | | incineration is at an environmentally friendly |
| these empty cartridges is easy, profitable and | | | | waste-to-energy plant; however, it’s easy to |
| environmentally beneficial. It helps reduce solid | | | | see that Epson is the big winner in this recycling |
| waste, conserves raw materials and the energy | | | | effort. Their recycling plan takes cartridges out of |
| needed to produce a new product. Most | | | | the hands of remanufacturing plants that can |
| cartridges can be recycled up to six times - they | | | | offer less expensive remanufactured compatible |
| are refurbished, refilled and then resold to | | | | cartridges to the consumer. |
| consumers at a lower price than new branded | | | | Hewlett Packard also has a free recycling |
| cartridges. Recycled cartridges produce the same | | | | program and they proudly announce that more |
| quality and output as new cartridges. | | | | than 1.8 million HP inkjet cartridges were recycled |
| Ink cartridges are constructed out of plastic, | | | | in 2003. Unfortunately, for the consumer, plastics |
| petroleum-based products and take about 1,000 | | | | and metal from the HP cartridges are also |
| years to decompose. According to recent | | | | disassembled and made into new products. Other |
| estimates, 20-40% of ink cartridges are recycled, | | | | components are “used to generate energy or |
| meaning 60-80% end up in landfills. The recovery | | | | are disposed of in an environmentally responsible |
| and reuse of empty printer cartridges diverts | | | | manner.” |
| millions of cubic feet of material from waste | | | | Canon offers its customers several options for |
| disposal, saving us the millions of tax dollars | | | | recycling toner cartridges, including a single return |
| needed to pay for additional landfill management. | | | | option, an up-to-eight multiple return options, and a |
| Look at the instructions in the box of your new | | | | bulk return option. Whichever you choose, a |
| laser or inkjet cartridge to find out how to recycle | | | | shipping label can be downloaded directly from |
| your old one. Many companies will provide | | | | their website. Return shipping via UPS is pre-paid |
| instructions, packaging materials and free postage | | | | by the company. It appears from many recycling |
| if you wish to recycle your old cartridge. | | | | and other eco-friendly programs displayed on their |
| The easiest way to find a recycling location is to | | | | website, that Canon is a leader in environmental |
| search the Internet for organizations that accept | | | | stewardship, however to date they have no |
| used cartridges in exchange for cash. All sites | | | | recycling program in place for inkjet cartridges. |
| offer pre-paid free shipping or pickup of used | | | | Lexmark’s recycling program is 100% free, |
| cartridges, and some pay up to $4 per cartridge. | | | | as are the other printer manufacturer recycling |
| Recycling used cartridges also makes a great | | | | programs. Customers request a kit using an online |
| fundraiser for schools, church groups, charities, | | | | order form. Lexmark pays the postage both |
| high school sports teams and other non-profit | | | | ways. |
| organizations. It can also be a significant cost | | | | However, there is one major difference between |
| savings for businesses. | | | | Lexmark’s program and the programs of the |
| Several inkjet printer manufacturers also maintain | | | | other print giants. Lexmark works with Planet Ark |
| recycling programs. However, your recycled ink | | | | and Close the Loop in Australia to ensure every |
| cartridge doesn’t always make it around the | | | | collected cartridge is remanufactured or recycled. |
| loop. | | | | In addition, they have similar recycling programs in |
| Epson, in cooperation with Funding Factory, | | | | Latin American and South Africa. In Europe, every |
| recently launched a free recycling program for its | | | | purchase of a Lexmark high-volume cartridge |
| customers. Schools and businesses can get points | | | | comes with a postage-paid recycling bag included. |
| for collecting and remitting empty cartridges to | | | | Now that’s closing the circle! |
| Epson. However, the cartridges are not | | | | |