Staples Recycles 350 Million Cartridges

Staples today said it has recycled 350 million ink and toner cartridges since 2005, averaging more than 60 million cartridges per year in the past three years.

Through the cartridge-recycling program, the company has recycled 182 million pounds of plastics and metals, it says.

With Staples’ ink and toner cartridge recycling program, customers receive $2 back in Staples Rewards per recycled cartridge, with a limit of 10 per month. Used cartridges can be dropped off at any Staples retail location and Ink Recycling Rewards can be used to buy almost anything from Staples, in-store or online.

The office supply company says it was the first national retailer to reward customers for recycling ink and toner cartridges and says it’s the largest retail recycler of ink and toner in North America.

Staples, Best Buy and Office Depot are the only three major electronics retailers making a serious effort to help consumers recycle their old electronic products, according to a report card released last month by the Electronics TakeBack Coalition.

While the three companies earned high marks — Staples received a B+ — more than half of the 16 retailers flunked, including retail giants such as Walmart, Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club and Sears. The coalition say these retailers are doing very little to help recycle the billions of dollars in electronics that they sell.

Staples’ ink and toner cartridge recycling milestone follows its announcement last month that it reached 500 facilities certified by the EPA’s Energy Star program. Stapes uses renewable power for 100 percent of its total US electricity consumption — which is more than 636 million kWh — through on-site solar projects combined with green power purchases.