Both the machine and cartridges used in printers and photocopiers are important to recycle both to reduce the resources used in the manufacture of new products and to keep them out of landfill. Yet 18 million cartridges are dumped, not recycled, each year in Australia.
The metals and chemical found in printer and photocopier products don’t degrade naturally into safe state – recycling them keeps dangerous chemicals out of our soil and groundwater. Recycling them creates Australian jobs, too.
Most cartridges can be refilled and reused. Those that can’t are separated into components – and just about everything is recycled into a wide range of new products. For example, the leftover toner is used as pigment for new plastics, the aluminium and steel are re-smelted into new products, the inks are used in printing and dyeing and the plastics are granulated and give new life as everything from park benches to school rulers.
Worth Doing
The Machines
Secondhand machines may not be worth much money but they could still be useful to a local school or community group. Rotary or Apex clubs could help you decide how to donate your machine(s).
SimsMetal and MetalCorp are metal recycling companies that can remove the metal parts for recycling.
SimsMetal Ltd
Telephone: 94342222
200 Barrington Street
Spearwood WA 6163
Cleanaway’s Close the Loop program,
Call 13 13 39 between 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
or email closetheloop@cleanaway.com.au
Cartridges for Planet Ark at participating Australia Post, Harvey Norman, Tandy, Dick Smith Electronic ad Powerhouse stores.
or direct to Cartridge World Stores.
Check the phone book or call the Recycle @ Work Hotline for your closest store.
Prevention Tip
Before you buy a printer or photocopier – or a cartridge for one – look for items made with recycled materials and, ideally that are made to last (ie they are worth repairing) and designed for ‘recyclability’ to aid in recycling when they are no longer useful.
Despite what you may have heard, refilled cartridges are a great option and if you buy from a reputable dealer, very reliable as they will have been refurbished as well.
For more information contact the
Recycle @ Work Hotline on 1800 819 000.
