| hould you recycle ink cartridges? Well, there are | | | | and many third-party companies now allow you to |
| many reasons. Firstly, and most importantly, it | | | | drop off your used cartridges. Office supply |
| keeps them away from the landfills. Even though | | | | chains, such as Staples or Office Depot not only |
| they are small, there are so many of them | | | | allow you drop off any empty ink cartridges at |
| bought and thrown away every year that it does | | | | their stores, they will also offer incentives for you |
| make a noticeable difference. For example, every | | | | to do so. Stapes, for example, will give you $3 |
| year roughly 400 million ink jet cartridges are | | | | coupon for every HP, Lexmark, or Dell cartridge |
| bought in the United States. Only a small portion | | | | you recycle that you can use to get a discount |
| of them, less than 25%, are recycled. That | | | | on future cartridge purchases. Office Depot has a |
| means that 300 million cartridges are thrown | | | | similar program for certain eligible brands and will |
| away every year, which adds about 60 million | | | | also offer you $3 coupon to use for any |
| pounds of garbage to our landfills. | | | | purchase. |
| Since inkjet cartridges are made out of plastic | | | | Another great way to recycle is by donating the |
| they take hundreds of years to break down. If | | | | proceeds to a charity or a cause. Staples, for |
| your community has curb side plastic recycling, | | | | example, has a program called Recycle for |
| then at the very least place your empty printer | | | | Education where they donate $3 to local schools |
| cartridges into the recycling bin. | | | | for every recycled cartridge. There are also |
| That said, sometimes going the extra mile to | | | | numerous organizations, such as Recycle 4 |
| recycle your lone ink cartridge just | | | | Charity that will accept empty cartridges and |
| doesn’t seem like a big deal. That is why | | | | donate the proceeds to a charity. Recycle 4 |
| there are now many incentives and ways to | | | | Charity will donate the proceeds to a charity you |
| recycle that make it very easy. Most cartridge | | | | choose from the list of charities they are in |
| manufacturers, such as Hewlett-Packard, Canon, | | | | partnership with. If you are in UK, Homeless |
| and Dell all offer free cartridge recycling programs. | | | | International is a great place to help the homeless |
| The postage is pre-paid, so you don’t | | | | in Asia, Africa, and Latin America by donating |
| have to pay anything extra, and the shipping | | | | your used cartridges. There are numerous other |
| materials are either included in the new cartridge | | | | organizations that have similar programs and you |
| box or can be requested from their respective | | | | won’t have any problems finding one that |
| websites. All you need to do is put the cartridge, | | | | benefits the cause you wish to help. |
| or cartridges, if you have several, in the free | | | | Whichever road you choose, it’s now |
| shipping box or envelope, print the label, and drop | | | | easy and painless to recycle your ink cartridges |
| it off at your mailbox or with a courier service. | | | | and not only keep them out of landfills, but also |
| Pretty easy, right? | | | | get discounts or donate to a worthy |
| That is not the only way to recycle, however, | | | | charity.john(at)findinkcartridges. |