| Printers and copiers are very useful machines: they | | | | 3. Printer ink residue contains Volatile Organic |
| make duplicating documents easy, they can help you | | | | Chemicals (VCOs). VCOs are harmful substances that |
| print photos in a more affordable way and they make | | | | can cause birth defects, health problems and even |
| school projects a lot easier to do. But while they are | | | | cancer. When cartridges are disposed, the leftover ink |
| essential to life, their cartridges can be harmful to you | | | | residue in them can release highly toxic VCOs in the |
| and the environment. Different printer inks can release | | | | air, water or surrounding environment. |
| deadly fumes, while cartridges are non-biodegradable, | | | | 4. Laser printer and photocopier toners can be toxic. |
| adding to land fills and garbage. Both printer inks and | | | | Laser printer and the ink used for photocopiers contain |
| cartridges can be toxic in many various ways and | | | | resins and carbon black, which can be toxic and |
| here are some reasons why normal, regular printer | | | | harmful in huge amounts. Your skin can get irritated if it |
| can cause damage to your health and the | | | | comes into contact with laser printer inks or ink from |
| environment as well. | | | | photocopiers. It's recommended that you wash your |
| 1. Ink cartridges are non-biodegradable. Every year, | | | | hands immediately after handling laser printer ink |
| people around the world add thousands of tons of | | | | cartridges or photocopier ink, especially after cartridges |
| garbage in landfills and garbage dumps around the | | | | recycling. |
| world. Used-up printer cartridges are also dumped | | | | 5. Particles from laser printers can be more dangerous |
| without much thought in garbage and landfills. These | | | | than smoking. A recent study from Queensland's |
| cartridges, which are made of high-grade polymers or | | | | University of Technology states that laser printers can |
| plastic, can take up to 1,000 years before they | | | | release super fine, harmful particles that are as |
| decompose. It's advisable to practice safe cartridges | | | | dangerous as cigarette smoke or the emissions from |
| recycling to help save the environment from damage | | | | motor vehicles. |
| done by improper disposal of printer cartridges. | | | | It's surprising that a machine you use everyday can |
| 2. Ink cartridges can become corrosive. Thousands of | | | | actually be harmful to your health and the environment. |
| printer cartridges are dumped in landfills all over the | | | | Both printer inks and cartridges can be toxic if not |
| world. These printer cartridges can, in turn, become | | | | handled carefully and if companies and offices do not |
| corrosive, flammable and reactive. When burned or | | | | practice proper cartridges recycling. To be free from |
| punctured, printer cartridges can explode or release | | | | pollutants and to help keep Mother Earth clean and |
| deadly fumes which can harm the environment and | | | | safe, help by saving printer ink, practicing safe ink |
| even the people living in areas near landfills or | | | | recycling and by using only environmentally safe, printer |
| dumpsites. | | | | inks. |
