Recycled Toner? Not So Eco-Friendly

For years now the computer industry and environmentalists have been pushing users to go green with their printing and to use recycled or remanufactured print cartridges.  This solution sounds great but when you start implementing these suggested changes the benefits just don’t add up. The first problem with recycled print cartridges is that they are refilled with generic toner and hardly ever do they meet the OEM specs, which causes ink to run out before the expected cycle and documents printing in poor quality.

Having to purchase more cartridges then normal and reprinting documents often doesn’t sound very green to me.  Until organic print toner hits mainstream and is supported by the major players in printers, users should stick with their OEM cartridges.  Instead of wasting time and money on recycled or remanufactured cartridges just returning your toner’s case back to the manufacturer often will keep the green ambition alive.  Many manufacturers such as HP are recycling the casings returned by customers to produce items such as shoe soles, car parts, and even remolding them into toner cartridges.

[via ITWorld]