Staples Offers Rewards for Ink Cartridge Recycling

January 28, 2009

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Staples is now offering rewards to consumers who participate in their ink and toner recycling program.

In exchange for bringing an empty cartridge to the store, they will give consumers $3 in Staples Rewards, which can be used at stores, for online shopping, or to order catalog items over the phone.

In 2008, the office supply company recycled over 22 million cartridges, and they hope that they can hit the 30 million mark in 2009 with the help of the new incentives.

Approximately eight printer cartridges are thrown about every second in the US, and only about 30 percent of all cartridges are recycled, though almost all qualify – according to a recent study.

Staples’ ink and toner recycling program is part of a larger company program called EcoEasy, which also allows consumers to recycle items like cell phones and computers. Along with its recycling program, Staples has also become more environmentally-friendly by building LEED-certified stores, using recycled paper in their copy centers, offering green consumer products, and investing in clean energy.

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Reader Comments

Please notice that Staples has been promoting this to look like it’s now an all-encompassing program and is very subtly inserting the detail that you can now ONLY EARN MONEY ON TEN INKJETS A MONTH. Whereas before a school could earn around $270 (3 per day) per month, now Staples is limiting them to $30.

Everyone has taken the Staples press release hook, line and sinker without noticing that Staples is actually not expanding the program at all. It is drastically cutting the monthly value that people can earn at Staples.

Angela Brown | January 29th, 2009

The difference between this program and the school funds program is that ANYONE can earn the value, not just a school. I agree, that they have reduced the benefits, but based on what a store employee told me, that is because people abused the program, personally turning in 3 per day (which is not obviously a personal use quantity). I like the fact that I can now personally participate, unlike before when it was only for school groups.

Laurie Yammine | February 3rd, 2009

Laurie:

No offense…but that is a lame answer. Abusing the program by bringing in 3 a day? LOL…who cares if 1 person brings 1 in a month or 1 person brings in 3 a day. The purpose of the program was to bring in empty ink cartridges for recycling. Who cares who brings them in? Its like going out and cleaning up the environment for deposit bottles. I used to do this as a kid for spending money. I guess I abused the program since there is no way I drank that many sodas a day.
Joules

Joules | February 16th, 2009

Abusing the program is overpaying for cartridges to keep other remanufacturers out of business. That’s what Staples has done for years and this is their “oops..” moment.

Angela Brown | February 16th, 2009

However, Staples continues to send out “plastic postcards” to announce their latest offers to Rewards members. Please send Staples the message that they need to be consistent with their green practices.

Inge Karlberg-Stannik | May 13th, 2009

Trying to get my reward credit for my ink cartridges that I turned in over a month ago. My new adress is 188 Blossom Way is Hayward, ca 94541. My old adress was 150 Haas Ave. 214 in San Leandro, ca 94577. my rewards # is 594-758-173-1

Debbie Martin | May 21st, 2009

Just so all of you know.. Staples now accepts any brand of ink cartridges whereas plenty other competitors only allow specific brands like the Staples recycling program used to be. Now any customer with whichever brand of printer can participate in the recycling program and earn up to $30 dollars a month. Thirty dollars is thirty dollas so be grateful, if not, then go to Office Depot, where the customer service is not nearly as good.
When it comes to the issue of abusing the system.. people would go into the store with multiple $300 rewards certificates to buy laptops and other expensive electronics.. another thing.. people would find a way of obtaining ink cartridges i.e buying them online and turning them in for credit.. That is cheating the system. The whole point of this program is to recycle cartridges YOU used and being eco friendly.. NOT to run a company out of business.
Thank you very much.

Isabel Torres | June 29th, 2009