What do you do when your ink cartridge runs out?
A lot of people just replace it and throw the old one away. But that’s a big chunk of plastic that ends up going to landfill. Moreover, not recycling your cartridge means that printing companies have to use even more plastic to make new cartridges.
Surely, there’s a better way.
Thankfully, there are several things that you can do to both extend the life of your current cartridge and to recycle it properly once you’re finished with it.
Printing Company Recycling Programs
Most printing companies operate recycling programs. Increased environmental awareness has led some of the major printing brands to think more about what happens to their products once users finish using them. After all, printers, cartridges, and accessories all use a lot of plastic. If there’s no way to recycle old supplies, that’s all plastic that’s going to end up in landfills.
As a result, you should find that your supplier offers a recycling program. For example, HP operates a collection program that it runs in over 70 countries. Since 1987, the company has collected almost 3 billion pounds of old supplies and products. Moreover, it offers a remanufacturing program that rejuvenates old hardware and print cartridges.
Lexmark has a similar program in place. They take in old equipment and print cartridges for free from customers. They then refurbish what they can and recycle what they can’t.
You’ll find that most of the major brands operate similar programs. Best of all, they’re usually free. Generally, you’ll just package up your old equipment and send it to one of the company’s collection centers. But it’s worth remembering that these companies tend only to recycle and refurbish products that carry their own branding.
How Else Can I Recycle Old Printing Supplies?
You may not be able to send old third-party print cartridges and supplies to a bran-based recycling program. That means you’ll have to look into some other options for recycling. Thankfully, there are a few other ideas that you could use.
For one, several companies actually purchase used print cartridges. In some cases, you could earn as much as $20 for an old cartridge that you might otherwise have thrown in the garbage. Of course, the higher prices tend to be for more expensive cartridges, such as those used in offices. But even the average home user could earn a couple of dollars for old cartridges that they can’t send back to the manufacturer.
Moreover, many third-party manufacturers offer their own recycling and refurbishment programs. Many of these are more flexible than those offered by the major brands. If you have a third-party cartridge, they’re often the best port of call.
You may also find that a local printing supply company can take your old supplies off your hands. Not all shops will offer this service, but those that do give you an easy place to drop off your old supplies without having to worry about them afterwards.
Charitable Recycling Programs
Beyond all of this, there are several charities that will happily take old ink cartridges off your hands. Organizations like Recycle 4 Fundraising encourage people to create recycling rallies in their local communities. These rallies see people donating their old cartridges and toners to the charity, which then sells them off to remanufacturing companies.
Most importantly, such organizations often pay cash for the recycled goods that you send across. As a result, local charities can use the global reach and marketing knowledge of a larger recycling organization to organize drives in their local communities. They then send off the recycled supplies that they collect and receiving money for them to support their cause.
In Recycle 4 Fundraisings case, they money could go towards educational facilities in schools or any other charitable concern that you have. Moreover, you’ll put a dent into the 400 million ink and toner cartridges that get thrown away in the United States each year.
What is Refurbishing?
We all know that recycling means reusing old plastic products for other purposes. But what does refurbishing mean?
It’s actually a fairly similar process in the sense that it allows for the reuse of old plastic components. The difference comes in the fact that the product retains its original purpose. The refurbishing process simply makes it workable again.
Take print cartridges as an example. You may send your cartridge to a manufacturer that offers refurbishing services. They’ll then replace the important moving parts that tend to wear out with use. However, they reuse the plastic cartridge itself, which means they don’t need to make another. A quick refill and the cartridge is as good as new again. Less plastic gets used, which is better for the environment.
Many major brands offer refurbishing programs for all of their major supplies. Moreover, buying refurbished products means you’re doing your bit for the environment. You’ll also save money because most companies offer their refurbished products at a lower price than their brand new ones.
Some Tips for Getting More Out of Your Cartridges
While recycling and refurbishment programs help you to do your bit for the environment, so too does getting the most out of your ink and toner cartridges.
We’re going to round this article off with a few tips that will help you to extend the life of your cartridges, ensuring that you get more out of them.
- Buy a printer that suits your needs. If you’re a high-volume user, make sure you get a laser printer. These tend to be more efficient than inkjet printers can print more pages per toner. This ensures that you don’t end up with a printer that goes through ink like it’s nothing.
- Don’t get rid of your cartridge as soon as the low ink warning appears. Most cartridges can print quite a few more pages while such a warning is active. You can also remove the cartridge and give it a slightly sway. Use a soft side-to-side and you’ll release any ink that’s gotten caught up in the cartridge.
- Avoid leaving your printer unused for large periods of time. This can cause the ink in a cartridge to dry up, which could end up blocking the cartridge. If that happens, you’re likely going to have to replace the cartridge. Print a small page of text once per week if you know you won’t need your printer for a long time. It may seem wasteful, but it keeps the ink fresh.
- Only print documents when you really need them. If you can work from an electronic version, avoid using the printer.
- Most printers have a draft or economy mode. This uses less ink to create a lower quality print. If the document is only for your use, switch this mode on so you can use less ink when you’re printing.
Of course, your ink or toner will eventually run out, even if you follow these tips. That’s when you should take advantage of the recycling and refurbishing services mentioned above.
It also helps the environment if you buy refurbished cartridges and supplies for your printer. That’s where we can help you. Our catalog offers an extensive range of print suppliers and cartridges, both brand new and refurbished. Please take a moment to browse our selection and we’re sure that you’ll find supplies that will keep you as environmentally friendly as possible.
