| There is no doubt that in all walks of life, things have to | | | | These can comprise those with replaceable heads |
| change in terms the consumption of the earth's | | | | OR those with permanent units that are factory fitted |
| resources, and nowhere is this more obvious than in | | | | with no user-replaceable parts. Lexmark are |
| the recycling of electrical and electronic waste. | | | | exclusively in the first category, with integrated |
| Estimates show that the amount of electronic, | | | | cartridges only, and Brother and Epson are exclusively |
| electrical and chemical waste produced in a lifetime | | | | in the final category with fixed, long-life print heads only. |
| per person in the western world is about 3.3 tonnes. In | | | | Canon and Hewlett-Packard are in both categories, |
| the UK alone, 1 million tonnes of electrical and electronic | | | | with both configurations found in their product range, |
| waste goes into landfill every year. Surely this will only | | | | while Hewlett-Packard also has models based on both |
| increase as time goes on unless actions and attitudes | | | | replaceable AND permanent long-life print head |
| change? Current trends are just not responsible or | | | | Where Laser printers are concerned, the situation is |
| sustainable. An estimated 1 billion people live below the | | | | very much the same. Some manufacturers use |
| poverty line, 2 billion people lack safe water, 3.1 billion | | | | single-piece toner cartridges where the whole, |
| lack sanitation and millions of children live on rubbish | | | | business-end imaging system is contained within one |
| dumps around the world. | | | | unit, while others split the unit down into component |
| And this when around 20% of the world's population is | | | | parts. |
| in the developed world and yet they are responsible | | | | These components in essence, comprise the toner |
| for 80% of commercial energy use, 75% of timber | | | | cassette, the developing roller and the OPC (imaging) |
| consumption, 50% of fish and grain consumption and | | | | drum. There are configurations that either split all three |
| 40% fresh water consumption | | | | elements apart or simply split off the toner cassette |
| Meanwhile, in 2005, the World Land Trust declared that | | | | from the mechanical elements (developer roller and |
| almost 90% of all office printing and copier cartridges | | | | OPC drum) that are contained in an imaging unit. In |
| can be reused or recycled. We need to see this | | | | some instances (more typical of colour laser printers) |
| happen. | | | | the developer roller and the toner are combined with a |
| The statistics are scary, but certainly big strides are | | | | separate OPC drum. |
| being made in legislation and environmental standards | | | | Print engine manufacturers typically employing the |
| in the electronics industry. The WEEE directive in the | | | | single-piece design include (for mono laser printers) |
| UK and Germany "Blue Angel" scheme are two such | | | | Canon; Lexmark; Ricoh; and Fuji Xerox. Those typically |
| initiatives. Sanctions against companies who ignore | | | | employing a two- or three-piece configuration, but also |
| their responsibilities are severe. | | | | some single-piece units include: Brother; Konica Minolta; |
| However, on an individual basis when it comes to | | | | Oki; and Sharp. |
| buying new equipment, everyone can do their bit by | | | | Lexmark is in the position of being a majority |
| taking time to learn a little more about the | | | | single-piece manufacturer with some printers that have |
| environmental impact of certain types of equipment. | | | | a multi-part build. Kyocera is in a category of its own |
| For example, when it comes to office or home | | | | with an ultra long-life OPC drum configuration. |
| printers, we can recognise that longevity and durability | | | | On the Total Cost of Printing agenda, printers with |
| is not restricted to the body of the printer only. Just as | | | | multipart configurations were once guaranteed to offer |
| important are the moving parts and imaging elements | | | | a lower Cost Per Page overall. But this is no longer the |
| of the printer. | | | | case because manufacturers have realised the power |
| Different manufacturers, and different machines | | | | of marketing based on Cost Per Page and not on the |
| across any individual manufacturers range, have | | | | cost of the consumable items with ink or toner. |
| configurations which increase user-convenience by | | | | Generally speaking, at the higher end of the market, |
| integrating all the mission-critical elements into one | | | | mono laser printers use a single-piece toner cartridge |
| disposal replacement kit. It is not hard to see that that | | | | with all the imaging elements contained within it. This is |
| the short-term cost saving [ which actually in some | | | | because the drum is worked hard and it would be |
| cases may not be so great] and convenience can | | | | very difficult to guarantee the drum life much beyond |
| have a high cost in terms of correct and managed | | | | the life of the toner contained in the cartridge |
| disposal of the replacement parts. | | | | (particularly at 30,000 pages per cartridge). |
| Inkjet printers are largely configured either with an | | | | However, even in these cases, there are significant |
| integrated ink tank/print head or with long-lasting print | | | | environmental implications to following the long-life, |
| head with separate ink tank(s). Additionally there are | | | | multi-part, route ' for the printer user as well as for the |
| variations on the long-lasting print head configuration. | | | | manufacturer and the planet. |
