Millions of ink and toner cartridges are thrown away every year, often ending up in landfill sites. The plastics and metals they contain can take up to 1000 years to decompose. When your cartridge is empty, it is classed as waste and you have a legal responsibility to ensure that you produce, store, transport and dispose of this waste without harming the environment. This is called your duty of care. Re-using material which would normally have been thrown away has dramatic effects. It not only protects our environment but also slows man’s consumption of the earth’s already depleted resources.
At Refresh Cartridges we support the UK cartridge re-manufacturing industry as much as possible by sending empty cartridges for re-use. Each cartridge is fully cleaned out, worn components are replaced and specially formulated ink or toner is inserted. The cartridge is then resealed and checked for quality before leaving the factory. Any cartridges which can’t be re-manufactured are recycled where the plastic and metal is separated, shredded and cleaned before being used in other products. None of our cartridges end their life in landfill.
Buying re-manufactured printer cartridges rather than new reduces the energy content of the goods, having a real impact on CO2 emissions. These savings can be genuinely and justifiably declared under the government’s forthcoming Carbon Disclosure initiative and in CSR statements.
Although this has not historically been the primary driver for purchase, the environmental benefits are increasingly being recognised.
Forward thinking businesses appreciate that their impacts occur not only in the products and services they deliver, but in the purchase of goods that are used to deliver those services.
If you have anything to say on the subject or you have any question, please get in touch via any of our social media platforms.
