Toshiba Ups Ink and Toner Recycling By 410%

Toshiba America Business Solutions (TABS) has achieved 410 percent year-on-year growth in its recycling of ink cartridges and other printing products, and is expanding the program further, the company has announced.

TABS, a Toshiba Corporation subsidiary that provides managed print and professional services, partners with recycler Close the Loop to collect ink cartridges, toner bottles, drum units and similar used items. Close the Loop then uses the products to create eLumber, a composite used in park benches, fences and garden boxes for communities and non-profits such as Habitat for Humanity.

The program has recycled nearly 90,000 pounds of waste since it began in late 2008, Toshiba said.

Now, the company says, it will take these products regardless of manufacturer.

“To our knowledge, we are currently the only manufacturer accepting used imaging consumables from other companies, and we do it at no cost to our customers,” said Tom Walter, director, Aftermarket Sales, Marketing and Operations for TABS. “With e-waste growing at record rates, Toshiba wants to make it simple for businesses to recycle imaging consumables, not because we have to, but because it’s the right thing to do.”

Numerous companies have announced programs to beef up recycling of ink cartridges. Xerox also partners with Close the Loop, and in November launched a new program aimed at giving customers more choices in returning used imaging supplies such as toner bottles and ink cartridges, while simplifying the way they return the used products.

HP has developed manufacturing processes that use recycled plastics – including HP ink cartridges and plastic water bottles – in Original HP ink cartridges, which delivers an estimated 22 percent reduction in carbon footprint and a 69 percent reduction in total water use when compared with using virgin plastics.

Earlier this month Toshiba was among the major electronics manufacturers launching the eCycling Leadership Initiative, which aims to more than triple the amount of e-waste recycled each year.