Although often overlooked, recycling ink cartridges plays a vital role in environmental conservation and resource management. Here are 10 little-known facts that might change the way you think about those empty cartridges.
- Staggering statistics
Around 375 million empty ink and toner cartridges are thrown away every year, with most ending up in landfills. - Slow decomposition
It can take up to 1,000 years for a single ink cartridge to decompose in a landfill. - Oil conservation
Recycling just 1 million ink and toner cartridges can save around 19,000 barrels of oil – which highlights the substantial energy savings associated with recycling efforts. - Multiple lives
A single ink cartridge can be reused or refilled up to 15 times before it reaches the end of its life cycle. - Financial benefits
Recycling ink cartridges can lead to significant savings: remanufactured cartridges cost up to 70% less than new ones. Many retailers also offer credits or discounts for returned cartridges. - Job opportunities
The ink cartridge recycling industry has created thousands of green jobs worldwide. - Precious metals
Some ink cartridges contain small amounts of precious metals like gold, which can be recovered through the recycling process. - High recycling potential
Approximately 97% of materials from a typical toner cartridge can be reused in the remanufacturing process, making it an efficient recycling option. - Limited recycling participation
Despite the potential benefits, only about 15% of printer cartridges sold in the UK are recycled or reused, indicating a significant opportunity for improvement in recycling practices. - Many brands offer recycling schemes
Major printer manufacturers like HP, Canon and Epson offer their own cartridge recycling programmes (see details below), making it easier than ever to return used cartridges. In some cases, you can even earn credits or discounts towards future purchases.
Top 5 brands that make recycling ink cartridges a doddle
Several leading printer brands have stepped up their efforts to offer recycling schemes, making it easier than ever to recycle cartridges while also contributing to significant reductions in landfill waste and resource usage. Here’s our top five:
- HP Planet Partners programme
HP’s programme has been a pioneer in ink cartridge recycling, helping consumers and businesses recycle used cartridges with ease. This free service allows users to return their empty cartridges by post, at drop-off points or through the commercial pick-up service. HP ensures the cartridges are either reused or responsibly recycled into new products. According to HP, since the programme’s inception, it has helped recycle more than 1 billion ink and toner cartridges globally, preventing tonnes of plastic from ending up in landfills. - Canon’s cartridge recycling scheme
Canon provides a comprehensive recycling programme for both ink and toner cartridges in the UK and 34 other countries. Consumers can send their used cartridges directly to Canon through a pre-paid returns service. The brand uses the returned materials to create new cartridges or repurpose them into other products. - Epson’s take-back programme
Epson offers a take-back programme designed for businesses and consumers. By providing easy ways to recycle ink cartridges through free post or pick-up services for businesses with large volumes, Epson ensures its used cartridges don’t contribute to landfill waste. The company processes these cartridges to recover raw materials, which are then used in the production of new ink cartridges, supporting its commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency. - Brother’s recycling solutions
With its simple returns process, Brother provides an accessible and eco-friendly solution to recycle used ink and toner cartridges. Businesses and individuals can return used cartridges via post or drop-off points across the UK. Brother has been praised for its closed-loop recycling system, which allows cartridges to be reused multiple times, reducing environmental impact while promoting a circular approach to product development. - Ricoh’s Smart Return programme
Ricoh’s initiative encourages customers to return used ink cartridges to its designated recycling centres or collection points. The recycling process is designed to recover and reuse as much of the cartridge materials as possible. This is part of Ricoh’s wider commitment to sustainability and its goal of achieving zero waste in its operations, further reducing the environmental impact of printer usage.
Of course, the most sustainable way to reduce our environmental impact is simple – cut back on printing. Reducing how much we print means fewer cartridges and less waste. But since some documents still require hard copies, recycling ink cartridges is the next best option. We hope this post has encouraged you to explore a cartridge recycling scheme!