Articles
Make Recycling Printer Cartridges Part of
YOUR Company’s Green Program
By Wendy Andelson
Did you know that ink cartridges and toner cartridges cannot be recycled with your paper recycling? Most people assume that they can dump their used ink cartridges in their recycling containers, when in actuality, this contaminates the recycling products. Some people believe that simply because the printer cartridges are old, they are unrecyclable. Rather, when done properly, all toner and ink cartridges can be recycled and later, reused to manufacture new ink cartridges. With a few simple steps, you can help limit the millions of cartridges that end up in the landfill every year.
Andelson Consulting can help you recycle your ink and toner cartridges easily and for FREE! We work in conjunction with a recycler that donates a portion of the cartridge values to charity. You can go on their website yourself and set up your own recycling program. Just go to WWW.RECYCLE4CHARITY.COM.
Why recycle your cartridges?
While great progress has been made in recycling plastics, paper, and aluminum, recycling ink cartridges is not as well known. Over 375 million cartridges end up in the landfills every year, and each can take up to 1,000 years to fully break down. In the landfill, they leak oil and pollute the environment. Every second, 11 cartridges are thrown away.
Not only does recycling reduce waste, it also helps conserve our natural resources and reduce our carbon footprint. Recycled cartridges are cleaned, examined, and reused. Others are taken apart in which the plastics and metals are used to make other products; 97 percent of the materials in cartridges are recyclable.
How Can I Recycle the Cartridges?
First of all, not very cartridge is recyclable through this program. DO NOT SEND RE-MANUFACTURED CARTRIDGES. A full list of manufacturers are listed on the website, from small inkjet printer cartridges to industrial toner cartridges from the office copier. RECYCLE4CHARITY will provide the paid shipping label which can be put on any box or they will provide the box and shipping label. Just collect your old ink cartridges, put them in the box and give them to your UPS service person.
Andelson Consulting has joined efforts with Recycle4Charity to not only recycle ink cartridges easier and more efficiently, but to also aide those who are in need. With every recycled cartridge, a portion of the value is donated to charity. You won’t ever have to collect all of your cartridges and load them into your car. We don’t require that you separate them by type or be told that half of your cartridges are just not suitable for recycling.
Rather, a box and paid shipping label to send them in is free - no hassles, no worries, and best of all, no stress. At Andelson Consulting, we make recycling easy, affordable, and rewarding at no cost to you.
Remember: The environment can’t wait.
WENDY ANDELSON is president of Andelson Consulting, Inc., an environmental consulting firm that provides “green” solutions to everyday business waste problems. Andelson Consulting is committed to assisting businesses implement recycling and environmental programs that reduce costs and increase sustainability. Visit www.AndelsonConsulting.com for more information or contact us at (818) 996-2380.
< back to articles
