What do you do with your printer cartridge once it’s empty? Do you just throw it away? Learn how to dispose of cartridges properly, in an eco-friendly way.
Toner cartridges that are commonly used in printers contain hazardous chemical material, hence throwing spent ink cartridges into the garbage is unsafe for the environment. Proper disposal of printer cartridge is therefore very important. Here are four ways that companies should adopt to dispose of printer cartridges in an environmentally safe manner.
- Take the used cartridge to a retailer
One of the best ways to dispose of used cartridges is to drop them off at your local office supply store. Many office supply retailers will accept spent cartridges and some may offer payment in exchange. You can check the website of an office supply store in your area, to see if the store accepts ink and toner cartridges. Some recycling companies may accept your empty toner cartridges for use in their production cycles. - Contact the cartridge manufacturer or seller
Most cartridge manufacturers have recycling programs for used cartridges and you can return the cartridge at no charge. When sold, the cartridges are usually packaged with a returnable envelope so that you can place the spent cartridge in its original packing materials and ship it back to the manufacturer. Follow the instructions specified by the manufacturer on how to pack and ship the spent cartridges to avoid leakage. - Consider refilling the used cartridge
Reusing ink cartridges is a low-cost and very environmentally friendly thing to do if you have an original brand ink cartridge that you have used just once. You will need the correct ink refill kit, which includes a bottle of ink, a syringe, screw tool, plastic gloves and refilling instructions. You can refill by manually injecting the appropriate level of ink into the cartridge and reuse the cartridge again. Make sure that the cartridges is designed for refill. Some major retailers will fill empty cartridges for a fee.
- Register with a recycling program
There are a number of independent recycling programs that will accept or even pay money for spent cartridges. Most of these programs require that you enrol in order to donate. There is usually a simple web-form you can fill out to register and once you have signed up, you will receive shipping supplies and instructions on how to donate. Your cartridges need to be received in good condition, so individually wrap each cartridge to minimise their likelihood of being damaged along the way.
Looking for any information on printer cartridges and more?
Copysmart products and services are the answer. We offer high quality, tailor-made office printing and copy solutions, repairs and maintenance, and unbeatable rental services. Our highly experienced staff and electronic technicians are here to help. Call our sales and service staff members on 0418 631 266, 0411 530 531, 0405 836 876 or 0449 951 304 today.