Recycling toner cartridges program empties waste from the environment.

Our landfills are being clogged with slow biodegrading toner cartridges and other computer hardware, according to reports by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The toner (a simple carbon powder material with very little carbon) isn't the culprit - unless you are sensitive to asthma and other bronchial problems. The big problem is due to the plastic outer shell called the cartridge which can take upward of 20 or 30 years to break down. Since this material is so resistant to biodegrading, it is negatively impacting our environment and steps are being taken to improve the problem.

Up to 8 to 10% of today's landfills are littered with plastics and computer hardware. Therefore, recycling programs for these materials makes great sense. The EPA is pushing these recycle programs in attempt to reduce the excessive waste. In response, toner cartridge manufacturers developed free toner cartridge recycle programs. Many of these same manufacturers also created fund-raising programs and will in some cases pay people to turn in used cartridges.

This waste is being seriously addressed by several non-profit organizations and toner cartridge manufacturers. Some states are also prohibiting the dumping of many of these biodegradable-resistant products in the landfills. Instead, consumers must follow one of these options.

- Transport the used cartridges to the recycle center on designated days.

- Return empty cartridges in special boxes or pouches to the manufacture via mail or drop off sites.

- Participate in a recycling program that pays you to turn in your used cartridges.

- Start a fundraiser to collect these items and benefit your organization.

Toner cartridges need to be in good condition for manufacturers and non-profit organizations to pay a refund. Sometimes, these organizations will give you credit for future purchases. Does recycling cartridges pay well enough to participate? Payments range anywhere from 5 cents each to $4.00 each depending on the type of cartridge and organization that you select. For a fund-raiser, this money adds up quickly for groups like a school or Scout troop. Many re-manufacturers like Recycle -Free http://www.recyclefree.com offer the best returns and participation is extremely easy. Recycle Free supplies free literature, collection boxes, recycle posters and tip to interested organizations. You don't have to receive a monetary return for the recyclables; instead, your funds can be forwarded to a number of charities.

If you'd rather return your cartridges directly to the original manufacture, most manufactures such as Hewlett Packard supply a shipping material and pays for shipping charges. Most manufacturers however do not pay you to participate in this very helpful cause. Directions on where and how to mail your empty cartridge are provided on the outside of the cartridge's box.

Most cartridges are used over and over again, provided the shell is in good condition. Since these cartridges maintain their integrity for an extremely long time, re-manufacturing companies find these programs highly profitable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucie Morty is the creator and developer of Org Toner Inc which is a leading online resource for toner information.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[ Home ] [ Ink cartridges ] [ Laser Toner ] [ Toner Cartridges ] [ Ink refills ]