| As companies and individuals become more | | | | things that require melting down the original |
| conscious of "carbon footprints", programs to | | | | product. Sounds OK right? No, this releases dioxins |
| recycle are on the upswing. But as large | | | | into the atmosphere which can not be eliminated |
| corporations get into the act are their morals in | | | | and are some of the worst pollutants known to |
| the right place or are they still thinking profit? | | | | us. |
| Consider for a moment a global conglomerate like | | | | HP will not remanufacture an existing cartridge |
| HP. | | | | and instead is intent upon warning the consumer |
| HP sells over 250 million inkjet and 75 million laser | | | | about faulty refilled cartridges. Why, because the |
| cartridges in the USA on an annual basis. Well | | | | aftermarket is stealing HP profits from a $ 60 |
| over half of those cartridges are thrown away | | | | billion dollar a year category that is quickly being |
| and take 450 years to decompose in the local | | | | soaked up by the refillers like Cartridge World. |
| landfill. So HP launches a recycle program which | | | | Remanufacturing will refill an existing cartridge |
| recycled something close to 260 million pounds of | | | | placing more ink in it than the original and many |
| cartridges last year. Fantastic, bravo HP. | | | | times creating a higher quality product. Since |
| One slight problem, HP recycles the cartridge, but | | | | remanufactured cartridges generally save the |
| not for it's intended use as a printer cartridge! | | | | consumer 40-60% HP is not interested in getting |
| These cartridges are instead melted down and | | | | into the business. It's simply not as profitable as |
| turned into new printers, car parts and other | | | | selling a new cartridge. |