Recycling Printers: HP Gets a "C" While Others Flunk Out

Where does your printer go when it dies? Chances are, it ends up in a landfill somewhere with most other printers (and electronics). The Electronics TakeBack Coalition (ETBC), a group that "promotes green design and responsible recycling in the electronics industry," has issued a report card on programs offered by electronics companies to take back or otherwise recycle their wares. Nobody did well; Dell get the highest mark (a B) for its PC recycling program. For printer manufacturers, HP got the high mark--a C--with Brother, Epson, Lexmark,  Canon, and Kodak all getting failing marks. Why? According to the ETBC report card, "Brother and Kodak have no takeback program for old equipment at all. But Epson, Lexmark, and Canon all only offer mailback programs (not physical collection) and lack transparency on most aspects of their programs, including standards for responsible recycling." It's up to consumers to start putting pressure on printer companies (as well as other electronics companies) to responsibly recycle used electronic equipment. Read more about the ETBC's proposed solutions and what you can do to help.