All of the printer cartridges collected will be returned to Close the Loop® where they will be sorted and processed.

Over 50% of the laser cartridges are sent to the original equipment manufacturers for their remanufacturing or component recovery programs. All inkjet cartridges, toner bottles and drum units are processed to recycle their component materials into new products.

The Green Machine processes the printer cartridges to separate and recycle their component parts. Inkjet cartridges are processed through another machine, which also uses patented world-first technology. This machine recycles both used and faulty cartridges. Both machines result in all of the component materials being recovered, with nothing sent to landfill.

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• The Green Machine in Action
• Products of Cartridge recycling

THE GREEN MACHINE IN ACTION

First, the used printer cartridges, bottles, drums, transfer kits, PCU's and more are sorted into their predominant plastic type. They are then processed by batch through the patented, Australian-made Green Machine, which reduces the cartridges to smaller particles that can be more easily separated. This waste stream is a complex mix of potentially hazardous raw materials needing state of the art equipment for safe processing and handling.

The various components used to make printer cartridges have a wide range of physical and chemical properties. State of the art processes developed by Close the Loop® use the components to assist in the separation process. For example, ferrous metals such as steel are separated using sophisticated magnets (pictured).

The end result of this process is the recovery 'raw' materials. These 'secondary raw materials' are further filtered, upgraded and then used instead of virgin materials in normal manufacturing to make new products. The ultimate aim is to return the raw materials back to the original equipment manufacturer for reuse in new cartridges.

Everything from the plastics, aluminum, steel and toner powder is recycled. Even the ink from inkjet cartridges is used in lower grade printing applications.

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PRODUCTS OF CARTRIDGE RECYCLING

The components that make up cartridges are actually valuable, non-renewable materials that can be used by a wide range of industries to make new products. Some of the recovered materials are reused for the following:

Toner - Pigment colour agent for the production of eWood a plastic timber replacement product.

Aluminium - Smelting into new aluminium products.

Steel - Smelting into new steel products, such as structural steel beams for building.

Inkjet inks - Used in the production of eWood.

Plastics - Plastics are currently granulated, filtered and made into eWood being commercialised for a range of industrial applications

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Click here to find out more about this new and innovative product 'eWood' and Close the Loop®