Recycling Printer & Photocopier Toner Cartridges
80% of our printer cartridges go to landfill every year……..
Australians throw away over 18 million used cartridges every year. This equates to 5000 tonnes of laser toner cartridges, inkjet cartridges, drums and photocopier toner bottles that go to landfill each year.
A standard toner cartridge is made up of 5% aluminium, 26% steel, 35% plastic and 32% cardboard packaging. All of this material can be recycled and used in remanufactured cartridges and other things like rulers and park benches.
Planet Arc Program
Cartridges for Planet Ark is a National campaign for the collection and recycling of printer and photocopier cartridges, toner bottles and parts from any brand of printer, photocopier or fax.
The program provides collection boxes and a collection service through Australia Post. All material collected is sent to Close the Loop®, the program’s recycling partner.
Close the Loop®, founded in 2000 and co-creator of the program, has developed technology that allows the recycling of imaging consumables to achieve zero waste to landfill. All material recycled is ultimately returned to manufacturers to be re-used in the manufacturing process of new printers and cartridges.
Why recycle?
- Pollution: Toner dusts contain hazardous materials and inkjet cartridges contain chemicals that can harm the environment. When used cartridges are disposed of in landfill, over time, these chemicals can leach into the ground water, polluting the environment.
- Wasted Resource: The plastics and metals used in manufacturing cartridges originate from non-renewable resources. When disposed of in landfill, they take many years to deteriorate and thus put increased pressure on our valuable resources.
- Problem for future generations: By not recycling, the problems of wasting resources are not solved but merely passed on to our future generations.
Recycle your cartridges and ensure they don’t go to landfill
To recycle your cartridges, just follow the following few steps:
- Cartridge collection boxes are provided in most academic and administrative areas (See the list of areas).
- If you do not have access to a recycling box and would like one for your area, contact the FMS Cleaning Supervisor, 2467 to arrange one.
- Place your used cartridges, toner bottles etc into the box.
- When the box is full, tie off the two (2) bags together with the ties provided. Remember not to overfill the bags.
- Place the double bag in with your internal mail. Do Not phone Close the Loop. UNE’s internal mail service will pick up the bags and post them.
- Put two (2) more bags into the recycling box.