“Why Does Printer Cartridge Recycling Matter?”

These days, we hear a lot about how individuals can contribute to the effort to protect the environment. If you use a printer at home or work, why not considered printer cartridge recycling next time you change your inkjet cartridge or laser toner? It’ll help reduce the volume of waste plastic and metal and could save you money too.

As personal printing becomes more popular, so printer cartridge recycling opportunities are multiplying. Almost all computer users have access to a printer, and printer supplies are big business. The very words ‘printer consumables’ seem to imply that we can, or should, throw cartridges away when they’re empty and buy new ones.

But the fact remains that a used cartridge may not have reached the end of its working life just because it’s empty. And while it may be tempting to discard it and buy a new one simply for the sake of convenience, there are compelling reasons to consider printer cartridge recycling as an option.

Many ink cartridges can be refilled. For example you can buy inkjet refill kits for several cartridge brands and do the job yourself - or send your cartridge away to be refilled professionally. Do-it-yourself cartridge refilling is not a solution for everyone, but it can save you a great deal compared to the cost of a new cartridge.

Another good method for printer cartridge recycling is to purchase remanufactured ink cartridges or laser toner. These products incorporate re-usable components from recycled items. A good supplier will tell you whether they have been tested, give specifications of their performance and other details. Once again, you’ll almost always be paying less for a remanufactured cartridge than for a brand new replacement.

But if you feel most comfortable buying an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) item, there are still printer cartridge recycling opportunities open to you. For example, some manufacturers include a prepaid mailer in a new cartridge pack so that you can return your old one for recycling. It takes seconds and costs you nothing.

Better still, some merchants have a scheme that offers you a rebate for returning your used cartridges (usually in multiples of five or more in the case of inkjets.) You can visit 123inkjets from our main ink cartridges page for an example of this - just follow the link below.

However you participate, printer cartridge recycling is an important way of promoting conservation of natural resources. Recycling cartridges keeps them out of the waste stream. And by using less plastic, we lower consumption of fossil fuels - an important ecological concern.

Printer cartridge recycling is an important element in good environmental stewardship. Visit our suppliers for more information on how your cartridges could be recycled.