Americanheritagerivers.org

There is a huge oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico that is threatening the delicate marine life of hundreds of species and the fish food chain as a whole. With the onset of the biggest environmental hazards in United States history, many people are doing their part to step up their recycling efforts and make a difference in their neighborhoods or states when it comes to keeping the earth clean.

For instance, one little boy is starting a Xerox toner cartridge recycling program at his school in hopes of reducing the number of toner cartridges that end up in the landfill each year. Every cartridge that ends up in the landfill takes 500 to 700 years to decompose!

That is because of a specific polymer that is used in the plastic that the cartridges are made of. But this little boy knows that recycling a Xerox toner cartridge is easy! Third party companies clean up the used cartridges that are donated to them, repair them with the appropriate tools and part and, finally, refills them with their own formula of ink and toner. These remanufactured cartridges then get repackaged and resold at amazing prices, which is great for the consumer. The only part that needs help is encouraging people to donate their used cartridges, instead of throwing them away.

It is simple to do; just save up your cartridges and send them via postal service to the recycling program of your choice. To find recycling programs that are available, browse the internet. Some programs even offer incentives, like coupons or free office supplies. Starting up a cartridge recycling program at your school or place of business is a great way to be involved in saving the planet. If we all do our part, then we can all enjoy the pleasures of a clean earth!