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With hundreds of thousands of printers being used in homes and offices around the world, ink and toner cartridges are on high demand.  A printer is worthless without the liquid or powder products that are used to color coat the blank piece of paper that is inserted into the printer and deliver accurate and crisp prints.  The maximum page yield of cartridges range from 150 pages up to 30,000 pages, depending on the type and size of the machine the cartridges are used for.  So, what is one to do when ink or toner runs low and new cartridges are needed to continue operation?

In years past, the standard solution has simply been to toss the empties in the garbage can and order some new ones.  However, with the ever-growing awareness of the environment and the importance of recycling all reusable products, more options have emerged as ideal.  Here are a few of the options:

Refill your own cartridges

Though this is not recommended, it is an option.  Kits are available online or in some office supplies stores.  This method, previously known as drill and fill, requires users to create a hole in the cartridge and distribute new ink or toner of matching color into it.  Users who choose to refill cartridges using this tactic should be prepared to deal with leaking colors and mediocre print quality.

Recycle and Remanufacture

Most companies that sell ink and toner cartridges offer recycling programs that allow users to ship in or drop off empties.  These are then sent to certified remanufacturers that will replace the moving or damaged parts of the cartridge and refill them.  Not only is this a good option for the environment, it also opens up the budget-friendly opportunity for users to purchase remanufactured cartridges rather than overprice brand new ones.

Recycle and Reuse

After a few times of being recycled and remanufactured, normal wear and tear of cartridges mark the end of this products life as an occupant of printers.  However, the plastic can still be melted down and used for multiple other purposes.

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