Printer/Copier Cartridges and Components
Recycling & Solid Waste collects a variety of items as part of its printer/copier cartridges and components stream. Our recycling vendor refills cartridges for resale, returns them to the original manufacturer for refilling or, when refilling is not possible, recycles the materials. Fuser units, imaging units, and transfer rollers are reconditioned for reuse or returned to the original manufacturer for reuse of parts.
What is acceptable as cartridges and components
- Toner cartridges
- Laser printer cartridges
- Ink jet printer cartridges (acceptable in eMedia bins)
- Bubble jet printer cartridges (acceptable in eMedia bins)
- Copier cartridges
- Fuser drums
- Imaging units
- Transfer rollers
What is not acceptable as cartridges and components
How to recycle your cartridges and components
Magnuson Health Sciences Center, including William H. Foege Building
Staff located in Magnuson Health Sciences Center, including the Foege Building, should recycle cartridges, fuser drums, imaging units, and transfer rollers at designated loading docks.
- When you install a new cartridge or component, put the old item into the box, and then seal the box. Write “used” or “recycle” on the box.
- Bring the box to either the K-wing loading dock or the AA-wing loading dock and place it in the cartridge recycling container, an open-top metal cage that is labeled Cartridge Recycling.
UW Tower
Staff located at UW Tower should recycle cartridges, fuser drums, imaging units, and transfer rollers at the loading dock.
- When you install a new cartridge or component, put the old item into the box, and then seal the box. Write “used” or “recycle” on the box.
- Bring the box to the loading dock and place it in the cartridge recycling container, a blue plastic bin that is labeled Cartridge Recycling.
Campus Buildings
Staff located on campus should recycle cartridges through Recycling & Solid Waste. Many campus buildings have a designated location within the building or at the loading dock for collection of cartridges, fuser drums, imaging units, and transfer rollers. For these buildings, items are picked up during the regular Recycling & Solid Waste route. To find out if your building has a collection location, contact Recycling & Solid Waste.
For buildings without a designated collection location, Recycling & Solid Waste will pick up cartridges, fuser drums, imaging units, and transfer rollers.
- When you install a new cartridge or component, put the old item into the box, and then seal the box. Write “used” or “recycle” on the box.
- Fill out the Pick Up Boxed Recyclables Form. To reduce truck traffic on campus, accumulate as many cartridges as possible (preferably 6 or more) before requesting pickup.
Off-Campus and Leased Facilities
Staff located off-campus and at leased facilities should recycle cartridges through the manufacturer’s recycling program or through Office Depot by using their free cartridge collection boxes. The Office Depot free collection boxes come with pre-paid shipping labels and can be ordered online through UW eProcurement (#621-558 for inkjet boxes and #650-988 for laser toner boxes).
- When you install a new cartridge, put the old cartridge into the box, and then seal the box. Place the sealed box into your Office Depot collection box.
- When your collection box is full, seal it, attach the pre-paid shipping label, and return to Office Depot through UPS.
New/Unused Cartridges and Components
Recycling & Solid Waste will collect new/unused cartridges and components that are no longer needed by departments. Include them as part of a Surplus pickup or, for staff on campus, include them as part of a pickup of boxed recyclables.