If you are concerned about global warming, energy conservation, the economy and the environment, then recycling spent toner cartridges should not be an issue for you. The enormity of our country's recycling efforts is best exemplified by the report of the International Imaging Technology Council (IMTC). IMTC is a non-profit trade association that watches over the interests of the world's imaging supplies industry. The report intimated that today, there are over 5,000 independent companies in the United States operating the aftermarket consumable industry; particularly involved in the manufacture and retail of remanufactured toner cartridges and toner refill kits.
The 21 billion aftermarket consumable industry is responsible for providing livelihood to almost 40,000 workers. Significantly, the aftermarket has helped reduce the infusion of around 40,000 tons of industrial grade plastics and metals into dumpsites and landfills each year. The average remanufacturer restores about 400 cartridges per month where each company is able to save as much as 300 gallons of oil and almost a thousand tons of solid waste in the course of recycling. And if the annual pieces of spent toner cartridges are piled one on top of the other, the stack of cartridges would actually equal the Burj Al Arab in height – the worlds tallest building at over 127 floors.
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Spent toner cartridges (cartridges passing 3 or 4 refills and print cycles) that undergo the recycling process are sorted out first to separate reusable cartridges from those that are totally damaged and are therefore no longer functional.
- Damaged toner cartridges are melted down and the ensuing plastic is used to manufacture lawn chairs or integrated as polymer paving material in lieu of paving bricks.
- Cartridges that can still be salvaged are dismantled and worn out imaging components are replaced, re-assembled and refilled with a fresh shot of toner as what cartridge remanufacturing companies would do.
- All other excesses are totally recycled and every piece of the empty toner cartridge is reused; including the cardboard packaging by which the cartridge unit was shipped in.
As a consumer supporting our country's conservation efforts, you can be assured that your spent cartridges have a facility to return to with the over 5,000 companies engaged in the cartridge recycling program.
Don't dump that empty toner cartridge just yet! You can use it for another 2 or 3 printing cycles. Get it refilled with toner refill kits.
Never miss the opportunity to help save the environment. Patronize aftermarket consumables; particularly do-it-yourself toner refill kits to reload the toner supply of empty toner cartridges as this endeavor contributes much to the conservation efforts of this generation.
Photo credit: innovate360 / Foter / CC BY
