Helpful Hints For Refilling Printer Ink Cartridges Using Bio Degradable Ink

2010-02-19

Printer ink cartridges are not environmentally friendly. They are made of non-biodegradable plastic, often thrown away rather than recycled, and run out of printer ink quickly. Fortunately, many locations offer recycling services for these cartridges, or refilling and cleaning services to extend the life of a cartridge. To take green printing another step, biodegradable ink can also be used to refill a printer ink cartridge. Although the ink itself is a lesser environmental hazard compared to the cartridge and the packaging, every little bit helps.

Refilling printer ink cartridges with biodegradable ink is conceptually the same as refilling with conventional ink; the only difference is that the ink is biodegradable. First, a user locates the fill holes on the cartridge, usually located on top and covered by a rubber stopper. A refill kit will contain ink, a syringe for injecting the ink into the cartridge, and directions. A user inserts a needle through the fill hole and injects the ink, making sure to cover the workspace with paper towels or something to prevent splatter. Once the cartridge is full, the hole is plugged with a stopper or a piece of tape, commonly found in the refill kit. And with that, the printer ink cartridge is full and ready for use.

The most difficult part of using biodegradable ink is finding the ink. The components of ink are a carrier fluid, colorants, and additives to help it flow smoothly. The colorants are generally not biodegradable. If they were, the letters printed on paper would fade over time, making it useless. The carrier fluid can be partially biodegradable, however. The most common method is to use soy or water, making the ink 20% biodegradable or so. Both exist, but both can be hard to find. However, once purchased, the process for using these inks is identical to that of conventional inks.

Precautions for using biodegradable printer ink are identical to that of conventional ink. The main precaution is to inject the ink slowly and not to overfill the printer ink cartridge, which results in a messy spray. Refill kits have specific directions for cleaning. Finally, the inkjet mechanism on the cartridge will fail over time, so they cannot be refilled forever. Once the cartridge fails, it should be recycled. To be honest, that is the most important step for green printing. There is no point using printer ink that is 20% biodegradable if e-waste is not properly recycled. However, when dealing with the environment, every little bit helps, even 20% printer ink.