By properly recycling your empty ink cartridges and toners, you will help reduce waste. You can also re-use the empty ink cartridges and get your ink refilled, which is cheaper than purchasing a new ink cartridge or a do-it-yourself refill kit.
To promote recycling, some stores (like Staples, Office Depot, and Best Buy) will reward you with money back to use at their store if you recycle your ink cartridges or toner. Some restrictions apply, like you have to spend a certain amount of money toward ink to be qualified - be sure to read the fine print. Or, you can simply drop off your empty ink cartridges at Walmart.
This page contains the following solutions.
I was standing in line at the post office the other day when I noticed a display with little zipper bags for recycling printer cartridges. I almost passed it by, thinking that I didn't want to pay the postage to mail mine in, when I noticed that the plastic bags are already addressed and POSTAGE PAID. What an easy (and frugal) way to help the environment! By Cindy B. in PA
I wanted to share with the ThriftyFun community about the Staples Rewards Program. For every ink cartridge you return to the Staples store (limit 10 Per month) as a Rewards member, you are given a $3.00 PER cartridge credit.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Where can I sign up to get more postage paid printer cartridge bags? I went on the Franklin, Tennessee Recylcing Center page, but couldn't even find a contact number or e-mail address.
By Bonnie
If you buy your inks at Office Depot, take the empty cartridges with you. They will give you $3 off your purchases when you turn in an empty cartridge.
I have accumulated about 6 printer cartridges for my Lexmark printer. Is there a company that will pay for these and recycle them? Thanks.
By packlestax
I don't know of anyone that will pay for them. I have a HP printer and they used to have an envelope with each package of new printing ink that you could return the mt cartridge to the factory but they stopped doing that so now I just toss them in the recycle bin at my recycle center.
Staples will give you store credit if you turn them in.
Lexmark will send you envelopes so you can mail the empty cartridges back to them. Go online to Lexmark/recycle and ask for 3 envelopes. Lexmark pays the postage both ways. It takes about 2 weeks to get your envelopes in the mail.
My daughter just started using Cash 4 Cartridges.
www.cash4cartridgesusa.com/
Office Depot will allow 20 cartridges per visit giving you a store credit of $2.00 per cartridge. Be sure to apply for their rewards card. Your credits are given each quarter. You also receive a percentage of your purchases back as a store credit. I purchased a $50. camera for my grandson for graduation for just $22. using my credits. Don't forget to add the discounts that are received in the newspapers on occassion for a "wheel of a deal"
I get mine refilled for 1/2 the price at Cartridge World. After you do this 3 or 4 times, I don't think they are effective but it sure saves a bunch of money. Staples charges so much to begin with that you are not really saving any money, in my opinion.
Costco will refill them for my HP at about $6. per cartridge and I am able to save. New cartridge costs about $35. minus $6. to refill= saving $19. per cartridge.
Your local elementary schools and public libraries collect these to go towards their fund raising efforts.
I like using new ones and I think it is a mess to refill them so I sell my empty ones on ebay.
When I worked as a secretary at the elementary school, Safeway had a program where we collected used printer cartridges and old cell phones to be recycled. I would collect then send in boxes of items and our school would receive funds.
I am trying to find small rubber stoppers for refilling ink cartridges. Could you help please?
Keith
I don't know if those stoppers are available, but I just use a piece of tape (ordinary Scotch tape or a tiny bit of duct tape) to cover the hole. I've done this for years without problem.
I never use the rubber stoppers. I've been refilling for years now. I also use tape to cover the holes. Never had any problems. No leaks and tape is easier to remove. Good luck.
