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Regardless of personal belief in global warming or the long-term effects that our decisions of today will have on the planet tomorrow, it is undeniable that recycling has a plethora of benefits.  Not only does it help preserve the environment, but it also puts money back in the pockets of business folk and commoners alike.  The facts about printer cartridge recycling are frightening, and if everyone could recognize how simple it would be to make a difference, a difference could be made.

It has been reported that approximately 13 inkjet cartridges are thrown away every second.  These cartridges, which are made of mostly plastic and metal, can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.  In addition, 97% of every cartridge is considered reusable material.  With as many as 375 million cartridges wasted each year and residing in our local landfills, as much as 450 million dollars decomposes there with them.

Oil has been rumored to be the root of a lot of evil in this world.  Some even believe it is the driving force behind much of the wars involving the United States of America.  Wouldn’t it make sense, then, to conserve as much oil as we can so we don’t have to continue fighting for it?  Over 3 ounces of oil is used to produce each new cartridge.  By not recycling as many ink cartridges as this nation does (60-80%), an astonishing 4 million gallons of oil currently lies in waste at landfills throughout the country.

The amount of wasted printer cartridges that is accumulated over a year’s time is said to equal the same weight as over 67,600 Ford Explorers and over 112,400 VW Beetles.  The small ink cartridges that are used to operate most personal printers found in homes are so frequently thrown away after a single use that they equal about 75,000 tons of waste.  These statistics are overwhelming, and a change needs to happen before the deterioration of our wallets and planet does.

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