What Is Remanufactured Toner?

Remanufactured toner cartridges are becoming popular.

Laser printers use toner cartridges to print. Remanufactured toner, also called refurbished, recycled or reused toner, refers to toner cartridges created from used or repaired cartridge parts.

Advantages

Remanufactured toner costs 30 to 60 percent less than new toner, an environmental conservation group at Rutgers University states. Purchasing remanufactured toner conserves natural materials and landfill space. In addition, most remanufactured toner suppliers guarantee that their toner matches or exceeds the quality of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

Drawbacks

Remanufactured toner cartridges are usually ineligible for paying recycling programs, according to Ink Guides. In addition, remanufactured cartridges of poor quality may ultimately damage the environment if they cause users to waste paper, Hewlett-Packard mentions.

Significance

Americans throw away more than 375 million toner cartridges each year, according to Ink Guides. The plastic used in cartridges takes 450 to 1,000 years to decompose. Only 50 percent of toner cartridges are reused or recycled, even though a cartridge can be refilled five to seven times. Creating a new toner cartridge requires up to three gallons of oil.

References

• Alameda County Waste Management Authority: Remanufactured Toner Cartridges
• Ink Guides: Cartridge Recycling
• HP: Better Quality
• Rutgers University: Solid Waste Policy Group: Enviro-Purchasing-Cartridges