Recycling Facts
In 1999, recycling, waste management and composting activities prevented about 64 million tons of material from ending up in landfills and incinerators. And the good news is recycling is on the rise. 28% of America's waste is recycled, doubling the recycling rates of 15 years ago.
Recycling of specific materials has grown even more drastically:
- 42 percent of all paper
- 40 percent of all plastic soft drink bottles
- 55 percent of all aluminum beer and soft drink cans
- 57 percent of all steel packaging
- 52 percent of all major appliances are now recycled
Unfortunately, however, inkjet and laser printer cartridge users have not been doing their part. In fact, only 5% of used or empty printer cartridges re being recycled.
This is terrible news for future generations as 95% of printer cartridges are discarded and end up in landfills.
- It takes 2.5 ounces of oil to make a new inkjet cartridge and ten times this amount for laser printer cartridges.
- Plastics used in these cartridges take over 1000 years to decompose.
- With students averaging 8 inkjet cartridges, schools using 300 or more laser printer cartridges and businesses using 900 to 1600 inkjets and laser printer cartridges each year, we are producing and accumulating waste at an incredible rate.
You can make a difference. Click here to learn how our cartridge recycling program with reimbursement works.
