Re: [GreenYes] Inkjet Cartridge recycling

["Pete Pasterz" <ppasterz@pplant.msu.edu>]

REUSE!    Most cartridges are refillable several times...which reduces the profits the OEM companies [your partner?] make on their cartridge.   Environmentally, reuse is almost always a better option than recycling.

Instead of putting "smart chips" in these, as Epson has done for example, to render these non reusable,   these companies should join the bandwagon....either establish refilling programs themselves to compete, or to raise the price/profit margin on their printers, so they don't have to make as much money on the cartridges.  [This might also have the desirable effect of making printers, now as low as $49 or less, perceived as valuable as less prone to disposal!



>>> "Jed Goldberg" <jgoldberg@earthday.ca> 07/12/02 02:41PM >>>
A partner of ours is a global manufacturer of inkjet printers.  They are trying to institute a responsible recycling program in Canada and the USA for their inkjet cartridges.  The thought was that the cartridges would be collected at retail, sent to a distribution centre and then off for proper recycling.

Sounds simple enough but finding an appropriate recycling partner is more challenging than one would think.  They have received offers from waste to energy companies but so far have not found any reasonable recycling possibilities.  

Needless to say, we have advised them to steer clear of the burn option. Does anyone have any recycling contacts for inkjet cartridges.

Jed Goldberg
President
Earth Day Canada

296 Richmond Street West
Toronto  ON  M5V 1X2
Canada

v - 416.599.1991  ex 111
f - 416.599.3100

www.earthday.ca 
www.ecokids.ca 
www.targetzerocanada.ca 


******************************************
To post to the greenyes list,
email to: greenyes@grrn.org

subscription, faq and netiquette info for
this list are available here:
http://greenyes.grrn.org/
Please be sure to read the faq and netiquette
pages before posting.
******************************************