How To Recycle Brother Printer Cartridges

In 2019, businesses are realising that the time to act to prevent climate change is now. With a number of industries still relying heavily on plastic manufacturing, recycling programs are more important than ever. Brother is leading the way in the printing industry, founding and funding the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark program to recycle all toner cartridges. This initiative is an incredibly beneficial change program designed to remove waste and decrease the rate of new waste production. This program fits perfectly in with the Brother International 5R concept which seeks to refuse, reduce, reuse, reform and recycle.

How does it work?

The program works by taking used printer toner cartridges, sorting them to make sure only the right components which can be recycled, are recycled. There are a number of manufacturers whose components may not be eligible for recycling, through the sorting process, Cartridges 4 Planet Ark is able to make sure no non-recyclable products compromise the program. After sorting has been completed, the cartridges are fed through the process and then smashed into fragments. Once these fragments have been separated, the components can be used to make new products, depending on the material of the fragments.

What have we seen so far?

This kind of recycling program allows Brother to contribute to the reduction in new waste production and send zero waste to landfill. In FY2017, Brother sorted, crushed and separated 3.6 million cartridges. These cartridges were used to make recycled products such as pens and rulers, as well as using component parts to create benches, roads and pathways. Being environmentally-conscious and committing to a sustainable future is a strategic focus for Brother International. The challenge for customers is to be sure they are purchasing cartridges from responsible manufacturers who continue to fight the battle of avoiding waste going to landfill.

What have we seen so far?

Recycling your Brother printer cartridges is a very simple process. If you are recycling cartridges from your home printer, there are over 3,500 public drop-off locations around the country, making it almost impossible not to find one near you. If your workplace is looking to sign up to this futureproofing initiative, Cartridges 4 Planet Ark offer a free workplace collection, making recycling that much easier for big business. As a large user of cartridges, businesses can make a huge difference by signing up to this initiative and recycling their Brother printer cartridges.

The Cartridges 4 Planet Ark initiative is a great way to get involved in real change. Organisations and individuals alike can help reduce waste production, landfill and contribute to the production of sustainable recycled products into the future. Recycling your Brother printer cartridges is as easy as dropping them in the Cartridges 4 Planet Ark bins nearest you.