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The Advantages of Cartridge Recycling

Saving the environment through recycling has become a large movement across the United States. Though conservation is the best route to saving the planet, there are some things that we simply cannot avoid using. For those items, the best choice is to recycle. Toner cartridges, for example, are a staple in not just the business world, but also in many homes. Recycling your cartridges once they are empty can make an impact in many ways.

  1. Less Landfill Space

    • Toner cartridges that are thrown away eventually end up in a landfill. The aluminum, rubber, steel, plastic and other materials that make up the cartridges make them difficult to break down, leading to a long decomposition period. According to Recycling Revolution, toner cartridges in landfills can take nearly 1,000 years to decompose. This means that every cartridge you throw away will stuck around for far longer than you will. Recycling those cartridges ensures they are used toward a purpose, rather than taking up space in a landfill.

    Fewer Materials Needed

    • It takes lots of material just to make one tiny toner cartridge. According to Inform, a company that uses "information on environmental effects to shape corporate practice, public policy and public opinion," the production of one toner cartridge shell takes more than 3 quarts of oil. They also use a significant amount of steel, plastic, rubber and aluminum. When cartridges are recycled, most parts can be reused, saving raw materials from being taken out of the environment.

      According to WSP, recycling a toner cartridge actually reduces the carbon footprint of that individual cartridge by nearly 60 percent. The carbon footprint is an interpretation of the impact a person or object makes on the environment from its creation to its end.

    Saves Money

    • Recycled cartridges are often much cheaper to buy than nonrecycled cartridges. According to Inform, purchasing cartridges that have been recycled can reduce your printing costs by up to 60 percent per copy.

    Create Jobs

    • In order to recycle toner cartridges, workers are needed to collect and recycle the old cartridges as well as to manufacture the new product from re-manufactured cartridge parts. This not only adds to the available jobs on the market, but also boosts the local economy through tax collection on those employees.

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