The Advantages Of Recycling Ink Cartridges

In the modern world of today, inkjet printers have rapidly become a standard piece of equipment for the home and office worldwide

. In this type of machine the inkjet cartridges used need replacing frequently and by being thrown away into general waste it can create a massive environmental impact. As small as an individual cartridge may be, it is estimated that 300 million cartridges enter landfill sites every year.

Of a single ink cartridge the plastic components can take 1,000 years to decompose, however, this is not the only conflicting environmental effect caused by dumping empty cartridges into landfill. Inside the cartridges there are toxic chemicals that will eventually leak out into the soil, polluting the earth and possibly contaminating water sources.

An additional important consideration is the amount of raw materials that it takes to manufacture an ink cartridge. To make the outer casing for a brand new cartridge it takes between 2 and 3.5 oz of oil, this may not sound like a lot on its own, but when you compare it to the scale of production, this equates to over 4 million gallons of oil used in the production of new ink cartridge casings every year. In fact, it is estimated that for each new cartridge made, 3 pounds of natural resources are used during the manufacturing process.

Taking these facts into account, it seems a much better idea to recycle and reuse ink cartridges rather than throwing them away. Recycling an ink cartridge requires refilling the casing with fresh ink, so the plastic casing is reused and does not end up in landfill. The recycling process uses 80% less energy than making new cartridges and reduces waste.

There are specialist companies that collect empty cartridges, fill them with ink and sell them on at around 30% less than the price of a brand new cartridge. This allows consumers to save money and promotes people to buy recycled cartridges rather than new ones. Cartridges that cannot be refilled anymore are recycled into items as diverse at fence posts, coat hangers and shoe soles. An inspiring development in this area is the production of a plastic lumber called eWood, which can be used in a extensive range of applications with the wider advantage of decreasing the need for trees to be cut down for their wood.

Another benefit of the recycling program is that businesses will frequently pay for used inkjet cartridges. Individuals or businesses that decide to recycle in this way can benefit financially from this deal. Charities also benefit from the recycling program, as many charities now supply free envelopes which people can fill with used cartridges for recycling. The charity is paid for the empty cartridges by a third party recycling company, allowing the charity to raise a substantial amount of money for their cause and at the same time benefit the environment.

It is clear to see the benefits in recycling inkjet cartridges. Doing so will decrease the environmental impact caused by the millions of cartridges dumped every year. By refilling and reusing existing containers, there is less demand on natural resources and virgin materials.

Recycle Empty Toner Cartridges

by: Callum

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