Although used printer cartridges are, in fact, recyclable, that doesn’t mean you can toss them in your home or office recycling bin. Toner and ink are harmful to the environment and must be disposed of properly. At WiZiX Technology Group, we’ll take your used printer cartridges and recycle them for you, because we want to help California businesses create greener offices. Here’s why recycling printer cartridges is so important.
Three Reasons to Recycle Printer Cartridges
1: Minimizes Waste
Throwing away printer cartridges creates waste that doesn’t break down easily. Ink and toner cartridges are mostly made up of plastic, which takes at least a thousand years to break down, and also releases greenhouse gasses. In the meantime, the chemicals in the ink and toner leak out and pollute the soil and nearby water. If printer cartridges get incinerated, instead of breaking down in a landfill, the plastic and chemicals can pollute the air with smog.
The more printer cartridges you throw out, the more they contribute to pollution and harm the environment. Air, soil, and water pollution can also lead to serious health issues in affected communities. You can reduce waste and help create a cleaner, healthier environment by recycling your empty printer cartridges.
2: Conserves Nonrenewable Resources
It takes a lot of oil to produce ink and toner cartridges. Oil is a nonrenewable resource, meaning it is consumed faster than it can be replenished. Luckily, new printer cartridges can be made with the plastic from used cartridges, creating less demand for oil. Recycling your cartridges ensures that they can be reused to help reduce their environmental impact and conserve our nonrenewable resources.
3: Improves the Economy
Printer cartridge recycling can even help create a more sustainable economy. For instance, recycling is generally cheaper than using landfills, which helps our local governments save money. Recycling also strengthens the economy by providing more jobs than landfills, because there are more steps to the process. Materials must be collected, prepared, and manufactured, before items like printer cartridges can be reused and manufactured again.
How are printer cartridges recycled?
To reuse printer cartridges, they are first sorted and processed at a recycling facility. There, they are broken down and separated into different parts and are reused in various ways. For example:
- Unused ink can fill pens.
- Leftover toner can be combined with other substances to pave roads.
- Plastic can get melted down and turned into various new items, including new ink and toner cartridges.
- Metal components can be reused to produce new appliances and other products.
Where can you recycle printer cartridges?
You can recycle your old cartridges and order new ones all in one place when you get your printer supplies from WiZiX Technology Group. We offer an autoship toner supply service that ensures you automatically receive new toner cartridges before your old ones run out. When you reorder your printer supplies, you can simply leave your used cartridges with us and we’ll make sure they’re properly recycled.
Printer Supplies in California
Whether you need to recycle printer cartridges, stock up on toner, or replace your printer, WiZiX Technology Group in Northern California has the right solution for you. We offer a wide array of superior commercial printers designed to meet your everyday office needs. Call 866-846-1411 to speak with a representative about our printer supplies and solutions.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (5/16/2022). Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash