More than 97 percent of the components found in ink and toner cartridges can be recycled to make new or remanufactured items. However, 50 percent of toner cartridges and 70 percent of ink cartridges aren’t recycled. The benefits of recycling are twofold. First, recycling prevents toxic ink, non-biodegradable plastic and metal from entering landfills. Second, recycling ensures that components are available to make more recycled, refilled and refurbished ink cartridges. Here are a few tips for recycling your cartridges.
1. If convenience is important, drop your used toner cartridges off at your local office supply store. Some stores offer incentives and reward points depending on the type of cartridge.
2. Support local schools or charities by dropping off empty ink cartridges at designated collection points.
3. To avoid messy spills, wrap used ink and toner cartridges in a plastic bag or re-use the original packaging.
4. Returning cartridges to the original equipment manufacturer is a great way to earn a little bit of extra cash that can go toward the purchase of new ink cartridges.
5. Some manufacturers offer free shipping labels and envelopes to encourage consumers to recycle OEM cartridges. This is a fast and easy way to ensure that your empty cartridges are put to good use.
6. If your office or business purchases OEM cartridges, you can return them to the manufacturer. Requesting a bulk pickup or a pallet is simple. You might even get business reward points that can be used toward future purchases.
7. Many local and national charities operate cartridge recycling programs. These organizations support a variety of causes by collecting large amounts of cartridges and reselling them to recycling companies.
8. If you use generic ink cartridges, you can’t usually earn cash, but you can donate them to an organization that resells the components.
9. Call a local community college or university. Many educational institutions operate collection centers for toner cartridges, old cell phones and other end-of-life products. They may even give you a free shipping label. The proceeds are typically donated to a local organization or charity.
10. Save toner cartridges for a community collection day. In some countries, commercial recyclers will pay up money for your ink and toner cartridges. Do a search locally for recyclers who pay for ink and toner cartridges.
Recycling toner and ink cartridges is fast, easy and free. In fact, you could get a little cash just for driving to a local collection center. Recycling is a great way to support the environment and the economy. It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to put your trash to work. Whether you would enjoy a few extra bucks or want to support a good cause, there is a cartridge recycling option that is right for you.
RetailBlue.com is an online retailer selling toner and ink cartridges. However, we encourage recycling of ink cartridges so that they can become remanufactured cartridges or that the plastic and metal components can be recycled into alternative products.