Category: Recycling

Recycling Ink & Toner Cartridges

recycle ink and toner cartridges

If you own a printer, then you are certain to generate empty cartridges. Recycle them! You may also someday find yourself with some full unused cartridges, when you move to a new printer. Don’t just huck them in a dumpster. Recycling ink & toner cartridges will be easy and free through these avenues:

Recycling Offered by Printer Manufacturers

Most printer manufacturers offer free & easy recycling options. You can usually locate information about those by Googling for the manufacturer name + “cartridge recycle”. But maybe these links will save you some searching:

Recycling Search Websites

Earth911 offers a nationwide search tool to give you ideas of who recycles ink and toner cartridges near you.

Much of the time, this search tool is going to direct you to your closest Staples, OfficeMax, Target or Goodwill store. Those storefronts commonly have dropboxes where you can freely deposit your empties.

If you patronize one of the big office supplies stores, ask if they offer any recycling incentives or credits. You might earn some $$$ off your next purchase there!

Mail-In Services

There are so many companies who would love to take those cartridges off of your hands. Some may have a noble goal of raising money for a charitable cause. Others may pay you for your cartridges (although it may only become worthwhile for you to do so if you have a large quantity to recycle). Consider these outfits:

Cartridges for Kids

CartridgeForest

InkRecycling

Empties4Cash

TonerBuyer.com

If you know of a great mail-in service for recycling printer cartridges, please let everyone know in the comments. Thank you!

Recycling Computers and Other Tech

Recycle your computers and other tech, please!

It’s best to recycle your computers and other technology items, when you don’t need them any more. Here are some tools and places to know about for e-recycling:

Mail-In Services

Best Buy recently launched a recycling service, where you can mail your unwanted tech to them for recycling. Unfortunately, it comes with some significant pricetags. I’m all about free, so here are some other mail-in recycling services that won’t cost you:

Amazon will recycle small items, and they will give you a free shipping label to send them in to them.

Apple will also recycle many items through the mail, also supplying you with a free shipping label.

Beyond Surplus offers free mail-in recycling, provided you have at least 2 laptops to put in the mailer-box.

Recycling Search Websites

Earth911 offers a nationwide search tool to give you ideas of who recycles technology items near you.

The Consumer Technology Association also offers a decent search tool.

Call2Recycle will help you find local places to recycle your batteries and cellphones.

Recycling Offered by Computer Manufacturers

Most computer manufacturers offer free & easy recycling options. It’s required by state and federal law. You can usually locate information about those by Googling for the manufacturer name + “recycling”. But maybe these links will save you some searching:

Other Local Options

Many national stores offer trade-in programs, where you get some amount of store credit or other value for select, working tech items. Check out:

You can also usually take unwanted tech to your local landfill, but you’ll want to be aware of any fees they might charge before you drive there. You can usually expect the highest fees for CRT monitors, since our country has a bit of a problem handling those.

One final suggestion: in my region, the non-profit organization Blue Ridge Hospice accepts most electronics at their thrift store locations. Whether your electronics are working or nonfunctional, you can donate them to BRH and they will take care of them appropriately. They even offer to destroy hard drives, to ensure your data is not used elsewhere. Check out their website or their Facebook Page for more details and reach out to them if you have questions.

If you’re in a different part of the USA, you might call your local thrift stores and other non-profits to ask if any of them offer e-recycling like Blue Ridge Hospice!

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