A study commissioned by Lexmark has shown the OEM that recycling a used toner cartridge can reduce the overall carbon footprint by up to 60 percent.
The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), conducted by WSP Environment and Energy, is designed to evaluate the environmental impact of a product through its lifetime. This is from raw materials extraction, production, distribution and use, until end of life.
According to Lexmark, the Lexmark Cartridge Collection Program diverts millions of Lexmark toner and inkjet cartridges from landfills each year. This makes it easy for customers to return used print cartridges for reuse or recycling. The program is free and available in more than 50 countries.
The OEM says it follows a zero landfill practice for all of the cartridges that are returned to the company. 100 percent of the cartridges Lexmark collects through this programme are either reused or broken down for recycling.
Lexmark Vice President and President of its Printing Solutions and Services Division Marty Canning said: “Printer users need to first understand the impact of their current practices on the environment before they can assess what behaviours need to be changed.
“Lexmark has made it a priority to educate its customers on what steps they can take to implement responsible printing practices, such as printing less and recycling, to reduce the negative impact to the environment.”