People who frequently use their printers to produce documents and pictures for school assignments, career obligations, or entertainment purposes often end up with numerous empty inkjet cartridges. Some people assume that these old ink cartridges serve no purpose once they are drained, and as a result, the cartridges are thrown into the garbage. However, printer ink cartridges are not completely useless once their colors have run dry: by recycling or refilling used ink cartridges, printing enthusiasts can help the environment and save a substantial amount of money. Here are some guidelines for preserving old cartridges through the methods of recycling and refilling:

The practice of recycling inkjet cartridges not only prevents the unnecessary and potentially harmful accumulation of waste material in landfills, but also reduces the cost of manufacturing brand new cartridges for retail distribution. Because printer ink cartridges are made from plastic-based materials that are very resistant to the biodegrading process, the recycling and reselling of old cartridges is a prudent environmental and economic enterprise. Depending on the brand, an ink cartridge can generally be recycled and sold at a reduced price as many as half a dozen times without any changes in quality or performance.

When planning to recycle ink cartridges, first check the printer manual or instructions to see if the manufacturer has included information on how to package and ship the empty cartridges to a recycling center. Some online organizations, such as www.emptiesforcash.com and www.freerecycling.com, collect old inkjet cartridges in exchange for a few dollars in cash or the option to donate the money to a charity group. Some recycling organizations will arrange to pick up used printer ink cartridges, while others offer free packaging materials and postage to the sender. Recycling campaigns are becoming a popular choice for school or non-profit fundraisers, though it is important to inquire in advance about which brands of ink cartridge are accepted and which are not.

Another option for saving old cartridges is to manually refill them with ink from a kit. Most office supply stores sell inkjet kits, which typically consist of squeezable ink bottles and blunt-needled syringes. Consumers can refill and reuse their empty printer ink cartridges by removing the manufacturer label, locating the hole for inserting new ink, and using the syringe to squeeze the contents of the new bottle into the cartridge. It is essential to reseal the ink hole with the cartridge label once the refilling process is completed.

Currently, only a small percentage of inkjet cartridges are recycled or refilled, leaving the majority as waste build-up in landfills. A collective effort to reuse old printer ink cartridges is necessary for increasing fiscal and environmental benefits.

Tags: inkjet cartridges

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 19th, 2009 at 6:31 pm and is filed under Usage Tips.