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What to do with old printer cartridges
I do my best to recycle old printer cartridges. That is to say, I have a big bag full of them that I will get round to giving to a recycle point someday. But I have occasionally wondered what happens to them. Many will no doubt be refilled and end up on a shop shelf again. This seems like a good idea; the intricacies of the modern cartridge seem far to high tech to throw away after just one use.
Well, it seems that there is another use for old cartridges that just can't print any more, making building material.
According to Ecogeek, Lexmark has been turning old cartridges into eLumber, a replacement for wood in buildings. Unfortunately it costs 20% more than ordinary wood, but it's a good idea. And building your house out it is perhaps the ultimate in dedication to technology.
I think that is a cool idea, hopefully like most other new things the cost will come down as time goes by.
Another way to help with this problem is to get your used cartridges refilled.
I use a local company that refills them at half of the regular cost.
posted-by Dale | December 20, 2008 10:09 AM
How I wish all cartridges can be recycled into valuable materials so we won't have any problem disposing them and will help nature. For me, as long as cartridges can still be refilled, I won't buy new ones.
posted-by Abby | December 22, 2008 3:45 AM
I like the idea of recycling cartridges... but they do go wrong more. Once the replacement cartridge leaked and ended up staining someone else's carpet - whoops! After 2 x cleaning sessions it was reduced by 60% or so and that was it. Also, my cartridges now have a chip in them and you have to take that out and put it into the new one which is fiddly as well as hard to get right.
I stick with originals now, but do recycle the cartridges to a charity.
posted-by Herbal Malc | December 23, 2008 10:46 AM