​10 Tips to Recycle Your Printer Cartridges

Printer cartridges and paper are the two consumables that one must stock up on, especially while taking up large print jobs. We can avoid sending the used cartridges to the landfill by choosing to recycle the cartridges instead.

There are also multiple options when it comes to buying a new cartridge. Besides the OEM ones, there are several alternatives like compatible ink, refill and remanufactured cartridges. This article provides essential tips to recycle your printer cartridge.

10 Tips to Recycle Cartridges

1. The cartridges can be dropped off at the local supply store. These stores tend to accept used cartridges and help in the task of saving the environment. Such stores can be found by doing a quick search over the Internet.
2. Use one of the many recycling facilities. Every city will have such facilities which you can find near you by doing a quick search on the Internet.
3. A good way to recycle your cartridge is to simply refill it yourself. Old cartridges can be reused by refilling them. The correct way to do so is to first ensure you have the right ink. Check the manual for the type of ink or toner cartridge your printer uses first. One can refill the ink by themselves however, it is best to check the manual first for the correct procedure.
4. Printer manufacturers also tend to have recycling programs. Get in touch with your manufacturer, they too are a good source for information on how to recycle.
5. Donate the old cartridge to a school or a non-profit organization.
6. Sell them online to other printer owners who wish to use them for their own printer.
7. Simply give it to a friend or acquaintance who needs one.
8. Recycle it at a supermarket that has such a facility.
9. Community center that has a recycling program.
10. Dispose of the old cartridge at a local store where you buy your new cartridge. Several stores selling new ones also accept the old ones.

Important Facts & Statistics

• Over 375 Million printer cartridges are disposed of every year and end up in trash and landfills.
• A laser printer cartridge takes up to 450 years to decompose. Those from an inkjet printer also take very long.
• Industrial grade plastics used in the cartridge take over a thousand years to decompose.
• Tons of resources are required to manufacture a printer cartridge. This includes one gallon of oil besides other materials.
• Remanufactured cartridges available at LAinks.com cost a lot less, offer good print quality, and help conserve the environment since this is the more eco-friendly option.

Summary

There are many ways one can recycle a printer cartridge like at a local community center, supermarket, etc. Doing so helps save the environment. Buying remanufactured cartridges available at LAInks.com also is a good way to contribute towards saving the environment and it is also cheap ink.