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Why Recycle Cartridges?

These pens used to be printer cartridges © Planet Ark

These pens used to be printer cartridges

Printer cartridges are made up of a complex combination of plastics, metals, foam, ink and toner.  Throwing them into landfill represents a waste of resources and contributes to the growing problem of electronic waste. By recycling your cartridges you are helping to reduce this waste.  

Some of the environmental benefits of recycling your cartridges include:
  • Diverting waste from landfill. This is especially important since cartridges are one form of electronic waste, which is one of the fastest growing forms of waste. More than 77 bags of cartridges are diverted from landfill every day through the program.
  • Recovering resources. By collecting cartridges and sending them for reprocessing or recycling we are able to recover materials like plastics, metals and inks that can then be used to make new products;
  • Saving water and energy. Making most products from recycled materials uses less water and energy than making them from new materials.
  • Reducing greenhouse gases. An assessment in 2010 by Close the Loop showed that up to that date the ‘Cartridges 4 Planet Ark' program had prevented approximately 16,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases from being released into the atmosphere.