Registered: Jul 2000
Location: USA
Posts: 75

recycling ink cartridges

Does anyone know where/how to recycle Epson inkjet cartridges? I found a couple of sites that seem to take everything but Epson... I assume this is because of Epson legal-eagles making it too much of a hassle.

I'm just trying to keep it out of the landfill. Next printer won't be Epson if they are not helping out with environmental issues !

Thanks !

Registered: Feb 2001
Location:
Posts: 447

We Buy Empties accepts one type of Epson cartridge...

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: USA
Posts: 75

Thanks, not the ones I use though...

Seems a shame that one of the biggest sellers of ink jet printers (I think) is not actively promoting at least the collection of the used cartridges... The box says 'dispose of the old one properly'. And how, pray tell, is that ?

They're forcing me into soapbox mode.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

From what I have been led to believe late model epsons have some kind of smart chip in the ink carts, preventing refills and it also stops generic makers from cloning the carts..

(or so I have been told)..

Printer companies make money on the ink and other consumables not the printer...

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Registered: Jul 2000
Location: USA
Posts: 75

Yeah, I realize this. It's the same reason you can get a free cell phone when you sign up for service. My printer wasn't free, though it was pretty cheap, realtively speaking.

It's particularly irksome because I really didn't get that many pages out of the blasted thing before I had to replace it. Who the heck needs a smart ink cartridge ? The benefit is to Epson, not me. That way they can make the printer stop printing at a certain point, instead of me possibly squeezing a few more pages out of a supposedly dry cartridge

Sometimes low tech is better ! Just cause you can stick a smart chip on something doesn't mean you should. I have a whole new set of criteria for buying my next printer, though by that time I'm sure everyone will have jumped on the bandwagon.

Sorry, for some reason this really bugs me !

Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Alive and well on VisorCentral.com
Posts: 861

It bugs me too.. as I really like Epson printers and I had been considering upgrading... (I also use generics ink carts,..)

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"One of the most important things you learn from the internet is that there is no �them� out there. It�s just an awful lot of �us�." -- Douglas Adams