Printing, copying and faxing are common activities in the office environment. A major consumable from this activity is toner or ink cartridges. This has environmental implications for resource efficiency, toxic materials and waste generation.
Users of toner and ink cartridges who wish to help reduce these impacts can choose to take the actions recommended below.
1. Refer to ecolabels
Prefer products with a third-party audited life cycle ecolabel, or can show that they meet similar criteria. Choosing life cycle ecolabelled products ensures toxic components in toner and other ingredients is minimised.
2. Buy recycled
Prefer remanufactured cartridges with a performance guarantee, or new cartridges containing post-consumer recycled content.
3. Reduce your demand for printing by, for example:
* using electronic versions instead of paper copies
* setting fonts and margins to improve the efficiency of printing.
4. Reduce waste to landfill
Send your used toner cartridges to a recycling programme. (Take-back systems are offered through the major office supply companies as well as some office equipment suppliers.)
5. Prefer packaging which has recycled content and is recyclable.
