Printer Cartridge Recyling Program
Recycle Used Printer Cartridges
Did you know?
Your old printer cartridges may be harmful to the environment! Some kinds of toner dust contain hazardous materials. Inkjet inks can also contain a range of harmful chemicals. These pose no threat while they are contained within the cartridge BUT, they can escape when cartridges start to deteriorate in landfills. Toner dust is extremely fine (5 - 15 microns), so it can leach from a landfill into nearby waterways, groundwater, and ultimately the oceans.
Once the harmful materials have been properly removed, the plastics and metals from printer cartridges can be recycled. Products made using recycled HP printer cartridge materials include automotive parts, microchip processing trays, serving trays, spools, and other everyday products. Many cartridges can be remanufactured, saving additional natural resources.
What Can You Do?
Laser Jet toner cartridges can be returned for recycling in the mailroom, as most toner boxes include a free label for the return of the cartridge. For your convenience, collection boxes have been placed in Warner Hall 023 and in the bookstore. Feel free to drop off your used inkjet cartridges (put them in the box labeled “cartridges”) at either location, or mail them to the Environmental Health and Safety Office at the Mackey Service Complex. They will be recycled or disposed of properly.
For more information on printer cartridge recycling go to: http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitizenship/environment/recycle/inkjet.html
Your old cell phone may be donated to a service agency for distribution to at-risk individuals who can use them to report emergencies. Cell phones that are beyond repair can be recycled. Collection boxes for cell phones are also located in Warner Hall 023 and in the bookstore, or you can mail them to the Environmental Health and Safety Office at the Mackey Service Complex.
DuPont, the manufacturers of Tyvek envelopes has now set the infrastructure in place to recycle small, meduim, and large quantities of these envelopes.
For SMALL quantities (less than 25 envelopes/month): Turn any Tyvek envelope inside out, so the unprinted white surface shows on the outside. Stuff all other Tyvek envelopes to be recycled into the inside-out envelope. Call 1-800-44-Tyvek for a pre-printed address label or mail the envelope to:
Dave Welch- Tyvek Recycling Specialist CRP-Bldg.
705 974 Centre Road Wilmington, DE 19805-0705
For MEDIUM quantities (more than 25 but less than 500 envelopes/month): Call 1-800-44-Tyvek and ask about the "pouch program" for recycling Tyvek envelopes. Pouches will be sent to you, each of which hold approximately 200 envelopes. Forward the pouches to a regional recycler (address labels will be provided).
For LARGE quantities (more than 500 envelopes/month): Contact Dave Welch, Tyvek Recycling Specialist at 1-800-222-5676 to have a custom program set up.