Office supply, procurement

Reusing ink cartridges and toners

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Objectives

• Reducing plastic use
• Reducing ink cartridge waste
• Reducing purchase costs

Green Value indicator

Reducing the use of plastic is proven to be one of the most important ways of reducing environmental pollution and carbon dioxide. Reusing printer cartridges through specialist companies will not only save money, but also have positive impact on the environment.

Explanation

Taking into account Corporate Social Responsibility and cost reduction, any company can follow this practice so that there will be benefits to the environment and the company.

There are two methods that allow ink cartridges and toners to be reused. The first way is the refill method, in which empty containers are filled with ink, and the second one is the rebuild method, in which the containers are preserved and then refilled.

PROS/CONS of the action

Pros:

• Reducing water pollution
• Reducing depletion of natural resources such as oil, timber, water
• A laser ink cartridge, if thrown away and not recycled, will take up to 100 years to decompose
• Reduces the operating costs of companies
• Disposing of ink cartridges into landfills leads to the release of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere

Cons:

• Some printers may be more sensitive to recycled toners
• Reduced amount of toner may occur in the case of a laser printer
• Toners recycled by unreliable suppliers can damage the printers

Certified

Not Certified

Link to useful sources

The environmental impact of reuse vs. recycling of toner and inkjet cartridges www.eurovaprint.eu

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