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The case for remanufactured toner cartridges

It is estimated by Planet Ark that up to 18 million printer cartridges go to landfill in Australia each year. Now think of what you average toner cartridge looks like. That many chunks of black plastic going to landfill each year is a frightening thought. Now think about the huge amount of resource that has to go into making each new cartridge.

cartridge requires up to 3.4 litres of oil and results in around 7kg of C02 in its manufacture. And you can imagine how much it costs to make each new cartridge. It certainly makes a great environmental case to remanufacture a used cartridge, but what exactly does it involve?

A remanufactured cartridge is a used original (or OEM) cartridge that has been split open and rebuilt. The plastic outer casing will be re-used. The internals are all cleaned and any necessary parts are rejuvenated or replaced. This should include the hopper, magnetic rollers, blades, gear and drums. New seals should be installed and the cartridge refilled with new toner before being reassembled. Re-using some of the parts helps keep the cost down compared to an OEM.

There are cheaper options than remanufacturing such as compatibles and refills, however both of these options have their downfalls. Compatibles are essentially copies of an OEM product. However, they are often made from cheaper components and have very little by way of quality assurance and environmental management systems. A refilled cartridge is usually an empty OEM cartridge which has had a hole drilled into the cartridge and filled back up with toner. None of the parts have been serviced and the waster hopper hasn’t been emptied either. Although a cheap option, this method is most likely to create problems for you.

A remanufactured toner cartridge can be a great way to help save the environment, whilst saving money compared to an OEM cartridge and without sacrificing quality like compatibles and refills can.

However, you still need to be careful when choosing a remanufactured toner supplier. Most remanufacturers do it the right way, but there are still some who take short cuts. So always ask:

- What exactly does your remanufacturing process include? Do you change all necessary components?

- Do you provide warranty on your products and cover the printer as well?

- What environmental management systems do you have in place?

- Are the cartridges tested before they leave the factory?

- Are you happy for me to trial the cartridge before I pay for it?

As long as you are informed about the different types of products out there and extent to which your supplier rebuilds, you can make a real difference to the environment and save money at the same time.