Did you know that a printer cartridge thrown into a landfill can take up to 450 years to decompose? Earth Day is approaching and consumers are reaching towards more environmentally-friendly purchases. Cartridge World, the world's fastest growing ink-refiller franchise, helps consumers and businesses make eco-friendly choices year round that are not only better for the environment, but also saves them up to 50 percent.

With more than 375 locations across the United States, Cartridge World allows customers to drop off their cartridge and have it refilled while they wait. Small to medium-sized businesses can also help protect the environment and save money by participating in the Business Direct program, which allows businesses to set up accounts with Cartridge World. The local franchise location then picks up the empty laser cartridges; they refill the cartridges and deliver them back to the business (with no pick up/delivery charge to qualified businesses).

Many businesses have recycling programs for cans, bottles and papers, but few realize the additional impact they can make by reusing and refilling printer ink cartridges. This is because not only do they have more printers than consumer households, but they also print in greater volume.

"Reusing ink and laser cartridges is simple, easy to use, safe, and better for the environment," said Burt Yarkin, CEO of Cartridge World North America. "More than 300 million cartridges end up in landfills every year--that's almost eight cartridges thrown away in the United States every second. Unfortunately the problem isn't getting better, either. The number of cartridges in landfills increases by 12 percent each year."

Industry research has found some interesting facts about ink and toner cartridges:
  • 48 percent of people throw their ink cartridges into the trash.
  • In 2001, remanufacturers saved 166.2 million ink and toner cartridges from landfills. However, there were 695 million other cartridges that did end up in landfills.
  • The average toner cartridge weighs 3-1/2 to 4 pounds, which means that the total weight of cartridges thrown away each year is equivalent to 67,612 Ford Explorers or 112,463 Volkswagen Beetles.
  • The plastic in each toner cartridges takes three and a half quarts of oil to produce, and each new inkjet cartridge requires two and a half ounces of oil.
  • Half a gallon of oil is conserved for each laser cartridge that is returned for remanufacturing, industry sources say. Therefore, in only 12 months, cartridge refilling could save more than 4.3 million liters of oil.

Everyone remembers being taught to 'reduce, reuse, and recycle,' but they don't always realize that this is a hierarchy of words. The Environmental Protection Agency states that remanufactured and reused products are far more beneficial to recycled products with specific mention of toner cartridges.

Different from the efforts of big manufacturers, Cartridge World addresses environmental issues by showcasing its ability to refill inkjet cartridges an average of three to eight times and remanufacture laser cartridges infinitely, all without sacrificing quality. In fact, research also found that 77 percent of users ranked remanufactured cartridges as better than or equivalent to ones by name-brand ink.

Cartridge World estimates that it will keep nine million cartridges out of landfills this year.

About Cartridge World
Cartridge World, founded in Australia in 1997, is the world's fastest growing ink refilling retailer in the $60 billion printer cartridge industry. The company refills empty ink cartridges for inkjet printers, laser printers, fax machines and photocopiers with top quality, brand-specific ink and toners; at the same time offers consumers and businesses up to a 50 percent savings, a money back service guarantee and helps the environment by keeping used cartridges out of landfills. Voted #1 in the category of toner replacement services by Entrepreneur Magazine Franchise 500, Cartridge World has more than 1,100 franchised retail locations in 27 countries. Emeryville, CA-based Cartridge World North America was founded in 2003.