In the wake of HP’s release of a leaflet that makes inaccurate claims about remanufactured cartridges, UKCRA has issued a statement in response.
Following on from ETIRA’s rebuttal of HP’s comments regarding the standards of remanufactured cartridges, the United Kingdom Cartridge Remanufacturers Association, has also released a response, published here in full:
“In any industry there are refurbishers/remanufacturers that take a used or end-of-life product and, by replacing any worn parts, it stands to reason that the product will perform as before.
This isn’t a new concept. From auto parts and car engines to disposable cameras, cell phones, printers and even supermarket shelves, it has been lucrative for those with the diligence and determination to produce a quality product. But this has affected the profit margins of manufacturers.
In any industry there are those that compromise or take shortcuts. It isn’t long before they disappear – but for manufacturers to encompass all remanufacturers as producing a below quality product is disingenuous and misleading and compromises not only their integrity but also their trust with the consumer.
Take a supermarket shelf – by adding extra bars to used shelving, making it stronger, it will last 20 years rather than the 5 year average when they are usually replaced due to sagging.
In the case of a toner cartridge it’s simply the toner that is depleted. By replacing this and one or more worn components, it is given a ‘new’ life and can (and has) performed the same as an original new cartridge.
It was even documented in an independent comparison study using the OEM toner cartridge as the ‘standard’, and testing several remanufactured cartridges against it, that one remanufactured cartridge came out the “best of these tests”…. described as having “pristine quality” and with a yield higher than the OEM standard. It was so perfect that the OEM visited the lab to view the remanufactured cartridge to ensure it contained aftermarket toner, drum and other parts.
Doesn’t this demonstrate that, by re-using the original core (used cartridge) and replacing any worn components, it will perform to a high standard? The engineering has already been carried out – it’s included in the cartridge design. Quoting from the WEEE Directive- “a product must be designed to be reused”. Being so well made, it is important that it does not enter the recycling or waste stream but is remanufactured. Besides all the environmental advantages of a lower carbon footprint, it’s the more sustainable option by far.
UKCRA supports ETIRA’s response regarding clones of poor quality reinforcing the fact that remanufacturers follow international environmental, quality and safety standards and have even participated as stakeholders in developing an important environmental standard (EPEAT) and wording regarding reuse included in Directives (WEEE).
Quoting HP from many years ago “that the user has the choice to use whatever product they choose”,- and once a remanufacturer has the credentials in proving they have the systems in place to produce a quality product, then should this choice again be hindered by another misleading report about remanufacturers?”