Recycling your toner cartridges

Recycling toner is easy. Just call the manufacturer and send it back to them.

The truly industrious can take advantage of kits that allow you to fill your own cartridges. These kits make refilling toner cartridges very convenient and inexpensive. Most toner recycling kits come with basic instructions, along with toner--usually packaged in a plastic bottle.

Most toner recycling kits work the same way:

• You may need to melt a small “fill hole” into your current toner cartridge casing to refill it. A soldering iron can be used for this purpose, but don't use a drill. Drills are to be avoided because they force bits of ground plastic into the toner chamber.
• After you pour the toner through the fill hole, tape the hole closed.

Toner cartridges are made of intricate parts that wear with use, so the number of times a particular type of cartridge can be refilled is limited. After you've refilled your cartridge a few times, it's best to only partially fill the cartridge. That way, if the cartridge is no longer usable, you only loose a small amount of toner. Generally, laser printer cartridges, and any other drum-style cartridges, should only be refilled once or twice.  As the drum wears, it leaves unwanted marks on paper, so these cartridges should be replaces more often.

Refilling toner cartridges can be a messy business if done incorrectly.  Make sure to protect your cloths, carpets and furniture. In addition, toner is harmful, and many time even hazardous, to inhale. Only refill cartridges in a properly ventilated area, and keep your toner refill kits out of the reach of children and pets. Also, keep in mind that when you are ready to recycle your toner cartridge, the retailer will probably ask if the cartridge has been refilled.

If you're not up to refilling your own toner cartridge, OnTimeSupplies.com makes it easy to get the toner. All you need to know is what type of printer you use, and the OnTimeSupplies.com Toner Finder does the work of finding the right cartridge for you.