innovating and pioneering
Recycling philosophy
The ultimate sustainable achievement is to continue to use a product for its original purpose.
In inkjet remanufacturing - as opposed to recycling - only the part that has run out (the ink) is replaced. The environmental burden of recycling is avoided. Compare this with recycling the same cartridge; it is broken up and the plastic reformulated at considerable environmental cost into commercially unviable low-grade plastic with many impurities.
Plastic takes some 1,000 years to decompose in landfill, producing toxic residues. By permitting reuse we prevent the tipping of 300 tonnes per year of plastic and electronic circuits. We continue to explore recycling for reject cartridges; historically, the low grade plastic produced has been of no value, but new processes are now emerging to make this viable.
> This document was last modified: 29 August 2006
