--- title: The Darker Side Of Printer Cartridges description: Fun fact, almost 942 million ink and toner cartridges are sold each year. This substantial amount of printer cartridges don’t magically disappear after use. image: https://blog.absoluteitad.com/hubfs/Blog_Images/printer-cartridges-2.jpg --- [Get Quote](https://www.absoluteitad.com/contact-us) - - - - - - **Email:** [info@absoluteitad.com](mailto:info@absoluteitad.com) **Phone:** [01332 371 989](tel:01332371989) [![absolute-it-ad-logo](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/hs-fs/hubfs/absolute-it-ad-logo.png?width=479&name=absolute-it-ad-logo.png "absolute-it-ad-logo")](https://www.absoluteitad.com/) - [Home](https://www.absoluteitad.com) - [About](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/#) - [About Us](https://www.absoluteitad.com/about-us) - [Reviews](https://www.absoluteitad.com/reviews) - [Careers](https://www.absoluteitad.com/careers) - [Licenses & Certificates](https://www.absoluteitad.com/licenses-certificates) - [IT Asset Disposal](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/#) - [IT Asset Disposal](https://www.absoluteitad.com/it-asset-disposal) - [What is IT Asset Disposal](https://www.absoluteitad.com/what-is-it-asset-disposal) - [How does IT asset disposal work?](https://www.absoluteitad.com/how-does-it-asset-disposal-work) - [How does collection work?](https://www.absoluteitad.com/how-does-collection-work) - [Computer Equipment Disposal](https://www.absoluteitad.com/computer-equipment-disposal) - [Computer Recycling And Disposal](https://www.absoluteitad.com/computer-recycling-and-disposal) - [How To Dispose Of Old Computers](https://www.absoluteitad.com/how-to-dispose-of-old-computers) - [IT Equipment Recycling](https://www.absoluteitad.com/IT-equipment-recycling) - Secure Computer Recycling - [Sustainability](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/#) - [Sustainability](https://www.absoluteitad.com/sustainability) - [Environment](https://www.absoluteitad.com/environmental-policy) - [WEEE](https://www.absoluteitad.com/weee-directive-policy) - [Supply Chain](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/#) - [Supply Chain](https://www.absoluteitad.com/supply-chain) - [Office Relocation](https://www.absoluteitad.com/office-relocation) - [Secure Collection](https://www.absoluteitad.com/secure-collections) - [Returns Management](https://www.absoluteitad.com/returns-management) - [Asset Reporting](https://www.absoluteitad.com/asset-reporting) - [Data Sanitisation](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/#) - [Data Sanitisation](https://www.absoluteitad.com/data-sanitisation) - [How We Ensure Data Security](https://www.absoluteitad.com/how-we-ensure-data-security) - [Offsite Data Sanitisation](https://www.absoluteitad.com/offsite-data-sanitisation) - [Your Legal Responsibilities](https://www.absoluteitad.com/your-legal-responsibilities) - [Decommissioning](https://www.absoluteitad.com/decommissioning) - [Blog](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/asset-disposal) - [Contact](https://www.absoluteitad.com/contact-us) # The Absolute IT Asset Disposal Blog # The Darker Side Of Printer Cartridges 29 April,2016 |No Comments ![printer-cartridges-2](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Images/printer-cartridges-2.jpg?width=640&name=printer-cartridges-2.jpg) Fun fact, almost 942 million ink and toner cartridges are sold each year. That’s printer ink and toner equivalent to the amount of blood in 2,260,000 people! This substantial amount of printer cartridges don’t magically disappear after use.    [![Click here to download our FREE guide: '7 Crucial Steps To Follow When Disposing Of Old IT Equipment'](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1764394/8ee6b928-2761-4157-9bf2-2c44947f337e.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1764394/8ee6b928-2761-4157-9bf2-2c44947f337e)   It’s estimated that 80% of printer cartridges are discarded in the bin, without any recycling. This enormous amount of printer toners end up filling the landfills of the world, heaping up in a huge pile of electronic garbage.   These discarded toner cartridges have a significant impact on the environment, and not the good kind. Each laser toner cartridge is equivalent to 3.5 pounds of solid waste. It takes almost 450-1000 years for the plastics used in toner cartridges to decompose completely. During decomposition, they also emit greenhouse gases that contributes to global warming. Furthermore, each cartridge requires 5 pints of petroleum, which contributes to further depletion of the world’s petroleum resources. Even more worryingly, the ink from toner cartridges leak into the earth’s underwater reservoirs and further pollutes the environment.   [![How To Dispose of Old IT Equipment](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1764394/8e87f2ae-b489-4f8b-9b41-ede5094c94f6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1764394/8e87f2ae-b489-4f8b-9b41-ede5094c94f6)   *Image source: [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/AGgOAqqGlT4)* ### Subscribe to Email Updates [![Dispose of Old IT Equipment](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/1764394/9115ae3d-aade-4473-b262-b4f4ddc82938.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/1764394/9115ae3d-aade-4473-b262-b4f4ddc82938) ### Follow Us ### Archives - [July 2019 (6)](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/asset-disposal/archive/2019/07) - [September 2019 (6)](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/asset-disposal/archive/2019/09) - [November 2016 (5)](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/asset-disposal/archive/2016/11) - [January 2017 (5)](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/asset-disposal/archive/2017/01) - [March 2017 (5)](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/asset-disposal/archive/2017/03) - [June 2017 (5)](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/asset-disposal/archive/2017/06) ### Most recent post Search this site on Google Search Google ![Blancco - certified data erasure software](http://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/acred-1.jpg) ![accreditation 2](http://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/acred-2.jpg) ![accreditation - ADISA](http://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/acred-3.jpg) ![accreditation - EMB](http://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/acred-4.jpg) ![accreditation - ACM](http://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/acred-5.jpg) ![accreditation - Data Protection Act](http://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/acred-6.jpg) ![accreditation - Environment Agency](http://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/acred-7.jpg) ![accreditation - ICO](http://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/acred-8.jpg) ![Absolute IT logo](https://www.absoluteitad.com/catalog/view/theme/absoluteit/img/logo-footer.png) - - - - - - ## Menu - [About](https://www.absoluteitad.com/about-us) - [IT Asset Disposal](https://www.absoluteitad.com/it-asset-disposal) - [Sustainability](https://www.absoluteitad.com/sustainability) - [Supply Chain](https://www.absoluteitad.com/supply-chain) - [Data Sanitisation](https://www.absoluteitad.com/data-sanitisation) - [Blog](https://blog.absoluteitad.com/asset-disposal) - [Contact](https://www.absoluteitad.com/contact-us) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.absoluteitad.com/privacy-policy) - [Terms & Conditions](https://www.absoluteitad.com/terms-and-conditions) ## Address **Absolute IT Asset Disposals Ltd** Parker Centre, Parker Industrial Estate, Mansfield Road, Derby, DE21 4SZ **Tel:** 01332 371 989 **Email:** [info@absoluteitad.com](mailto:info@absoluteitad.com) ©2026 Absolute IT Asset Disposal Ltd. 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