Consider the fact that in 2012 around 1,8 billion print cartridges may have been dumped in trash dumps and be supplemented by a further three hundred and fifty million each year, and you have some concept of the usage issue of cartridges along with the environmental problem they contribute to. Cartridges are projected to take up to from 450 to one thousand years to decompose. These little monsters also trigger other sorts of environmental concerns in their manufacturing, like causing the emission of 4,8 kg’s CO2 per cartridge. A further 3,2 Kg’s of CO2 is released by the toner within the cartridge for the lifespan of the toner.
In order to counter this phenomenon, the USA and Europe have began with the introduction of legislation to encourage the recycling of cartridges. This isn’t totally good news for the makers of cartridges, as they certainly will lose out on the sale of new cartridges. Some producers in reality make it difficult for the refilling and recycling of their cartridges, by adding a chip that can’t be reset for additional use. Then again someone that could remove this chip on a specific manufacturers’ cartridge, discovered he could print up to 38% more than what the chip intact will permit. So, in effect this manufacturer was denying the user the use of 38% worth of ink thereby forcing acquiring new cartridges.
An ink cartridge is a changeable element of an ink jet printer. The cartridge includes the ink and in some cases the print head. The price tag on such cartridges (mostly two per printer for black and white and colour printing) are pretty pricey and in some preposterous cases it is less costly to buy a new computer printer than replace the cartridges. Cartridges of different manufacturers can’t be interchanged because of different design criteria and other electrics. Fairly often when a printer uses 2 cartridges, the white and black cartridge won’t work if the colour cartridge is empty forcing the replacement of colour cartridges.
In spite of all these tricks by the original producers, there are ways to save money on replacement cartridges. Firstly, research prices for “compatibles” at +- 30-40% discount, which are mainly originally manufactured cartridges by alternative suppliers, or secondly have your original ink cartridges refilled by one of the shops that sell compatibles. Provided your ink cartridges are in good condition and have not been refilled more than 3 times, such transaction will save you an impressive 50-70% discount in comparison to a new branded ink cartridge. Some shops in addition offer so called “re-manufactured” ink cartridges, but those are no more than re-filled and cleaned up cartridges. Another (perhaps not too good an option) is to re-fill your own cartridges, but this in practise has proofed not to be such a good option as it is sloppy and the results often less than adequate.
It is not always realized by the buyer but printing is an expensive part of computing, particularly for those people who get involved in photo printing or other forms of technical printing. It is sensible to explore alternatives to save on printing costs.
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