Ink and toner cartridges may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about plastic waste - but they should be.
Each year, over 375 million cartridges are thrown away worldwide. Most end up in landfills, where they can take up to 1,000 years to break down, releasing microplastics, heavy metals, and toxic compounds into the environment as they slowly degrade.
At DoorStepInk, we’re working to reverse that trend - by giving cartridges a second life and rescuing unused OEM surplus from going straight into the trash.
Here’s how we help fight plastic waste with every shipment we send.
What Makes Ink Cartridges So Problematic?
An empty ink or toner cartridge might seem small, but it’s made from:
- High-grade engineering plastics
- Aluminum and steel components
- Sponge material, microchips, and seals
- Residual ink, which can be toxic in landfill environments
Because of this complex construction, cartridges don’t decompose like food wrappers or paper. Instead, they become long-term waste - slowly leaching pollutants into soil and groundwater.
Our Solution: Remanufacture and Reuse
DoorStepInk remanufactured cartridges are not cheap knock-offs. They’re original OEM cartridges that have been:
- Professionally cleaned
- Rebuilt with quality-tested components
- Refilled with high-grade ink
- Individually inspected and tested in our U.S. facility in Chatsworth, California
By choosing remanufactured over new, you’re helping:
- Reduce raw plastic demand
- Lower CO₂ emissions associated with manufacturing
- Cut energy and water use in the ink production process
- Keep cartridges out of landfills
Each cartridge reused is one less that has to be created - and one less that ends up polluting the planet.
The Power of OEM Surplus
Our impact doesn’t stop with remanufacturing. DoorStepInk also sells OEM surplus cartridges - unused, original-brand cartridges that would otherwise be discarded due to printer upgrades or overstock.
Instead of letting these cartridges expire on warehouse shelves or go straight to the landfill, we:
- Recover them from business closures, IT upgrades, and overstock
- Verify their condition and packaging
- Sell them at a discount to customers who give them a full, productive life
These cartridges were always meant to be used - we just make sure they don’t go to waste.
Real Numbers, Real Impact
On average, every remanufactured ink cartridge:
- Saves 2.5 pounds of raw materials
- Prevents 3.5 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions
- Diverts 1 cartridge from landfill (many of which would have been incinerated or dumped)
Multiply that by thousands of cartridges per month, and you start to see the scale of change.
Your Small Choice Makes a Big Difference
When you choose DoorStepInk, you’re doing more than saving money - you’re making a clear, conscious decision to:
- Support a circular economy
- Keep plastics in use and out of landfills
- Reduce your carbon footprint
- Set an example for sustainable printing in your home, office, or school
Join us in turning waste into purpose.
Shop remanufactured and OEM surplus ink at www.doorstepink.com and become part of the solution — one cartridge at a time.
