Bob Werre

In 1970 in California a recycling program was started mainly for glass, as plastic wasn't yet that widely used. the program faltered soon after. Volunteers worked it but the sorting of various types, and colors killed it very soon.
During my commercial shoots, we'd often show Polaroids to the art director to get approval before we shot the final film and of course make sure we had things right on our end too. On a tough shot, it would often take several Polaroids to get it right. We really didn't have many options for dealing with all the packing around the film pack, nor the pack itself which had paper, plastic and metal elements to it.
Now with all our cartridges and packing waste we'll eventually have to pay the piper in some form fairly soon. Sending ships into the ocean to bring it all back is really costly, then when you bring it back what happens to it?

Richard Engelmann Loc: Boulder, Colorado

I retired from a printer company last year (after 39 years). I had multiple roles, including the recycling coordinator and the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems registration coordinator. I will share with you some insight.

All recycling is about money. Recycling (converting material from a used product into material for a new product) will only happen when it is less expensive than virgin materials. The problem with printer cartridges is that they are not made of a single material but an assembly of many materials. Separating these to get at the individual parts is cost-prohibitive unless there is a central collection and remanufacturing operation. Note that this is a remanufacturing statement, and not true recycling though in a big reman operation the economies will allow for some real recycling. For example, after they are no longer useful for reman, disassembled plastic cartridge carcasses can be ground up and re-molded into new cartridges. In the case of laser cartridges, some of the components (charge rolls, metal shafts) are expensive and are re-used wherever possible.

The credits you receive when turning in used cartridges are based on demand for empties to be remanufactured. No reman demand, no credits. It is a good thing to do this because it does result in another life for the cartridge, postponing the inevitable removal of the materials from economic use by burning or burying them.

Indiana Loc: Huntington, Indiana

I just sent 7 HP cartridges back to their location in a postage paid envelope they provided with my last order. Perhaps other manufactures do the same but simply don't promote the service. Maybe a quick e-mail to the manufacture would solve the dilemma.

john451 Loc: Lady's Island, SC/Columbia, SC

I recycle mine at Staples and rarely have a problem. BUT, there are strict rules so make sure you read them. You must have spent at least $30 for new ink cartridges in a certain time period (6 months?). Then you can recycle up to 10 cartridges per month or 20 per month if you are a Staples Plus member. You get a $2 credit for each. You will get an email with a rebate coupon at the end of the recycle period. It looks as if you can get a Staples Plus membership for $15 right now. I've been doing this for years and only once had a problem and it was probably my fault for not understanding the rules.

Chromodynamics6 Loc: Beverly Hills Ca.

RJWagons Loc: Lake Ridge Virginia

You should verify your account with Staples. My husband had that problem.I've used them for years - always receive $2 for each cartridge in the form of a Staples coupon. That's fine with me; I simply use the coupons to buy more ink. Sorry I don't know what they do with the cartridges. Guess I should check but the coupons keep me coming back for more Canon and Epson ink.

vandy

Search for Evolve Recycling, they will take you cartridges and pay you for them. They also provide free shipping labels to send your spent cartridges back to them. Good luck!

Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore

I get 2dollars per used one from staples. There is a monthly limit. The rewards come in an email.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

In some locales ink cartridges are considered E-waste if not toxic waste. Here in California, at least in some counties they are required to be recycled and are not wanted in the trash or a land fill.

Bob Werre

When I was in grade school, soda/pop bottles were always good for 2 cents, the larger quart soda bottles were a good nickel. We also trapped gophers where we received a few pennies from the county--gopher ate a lot of wheat from the fields, so I guess that's a form of recycling! We lived in a smallish town and grew much of our own garden produce and tons of apples. Mom would can store bought fruit that came in, in wooden boxes. We used glass jars over and over, she'd seal the jars with molten wax. The wooden boxes became litter boxes for our cat. Actually the litter was ashes from a coal fired furnace for several years. I know none of this involves ink cartridges but I needed to mention what recycling was like back in the day!

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Good points. That is sometimes called Repurposing. "Mason" jars can be used as large water glasses. Kind of a thing now.