Frequently Asked Questions

Laser and toner cartridges can be reused, or remanufactured, by disassembling and cleaning each cartridge, replacing any worn parts and refilling the cartridge with toner. The practice was originated in the early 1980s and has advanced to a scientific process.

Today the remanufactured cartridge industry is a $6 billion industry served by an international trade association.

What is remanufacturing?
The toner cartridges in your printer or copier can be remanufactured instead of being thrown away. Many companies are in the business of remanufacturing these cartridges.

A remanufactured cartridge is one that has been used at least once and prepared for reuse. Laser and toner cartridges can be reused, or remanufactured, by disabling and cleaning each cartridge, replacing any worn parts and refilling the cartridge with toner. The practice was originated in the early 1980s and has advanced to a scientific process.

What are OEMs?
OEMs, or original equipment manufacturers, are the companies that manufacture imaging supplies equipment including cartridges. A few of the most commonly known OEMs include Lexmark, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Canon, Brother, Epson, Xerox and Ricoh.

Why should I buy remanufactured?
1. Save money – Whether it is for your business or home use, remanufactured cartridges cost on average 30-50 percent less than original manufactured cartridges.

2. Help the environment – Cartridge remanufacturing keeps more than 42,000 tons of plastic, metal and toner out of the waste stream.

For example, for every cartridge that is remanufactured, a “core,” or spent cartridge, is reused. Each core is made of approximately two and a half pounds of plastic, and, but for remanufacturers, that core would end up going into the waste stream. The plastic used in a typical cartridge is industrial-grade and does not begin to degrade for at least 10 centuries, or 1,000 years.

By ensuring that your empty cartridges go to a local remanufacturer, you know they will be reused. The OEMs do not reuse cartridges. They are either ground up or abandoned in third world countries. Visit www.consumerchoice.info to read about the affects of e-waste on a small town in China.

How much can I save?
The real issue is not on how much money you can save per cartridge, the real issue is how much you can save on each page you print.

The lowest priced remanufactured cartridges may not be your best bargain. And the one that prints the most pages might cost you more per page.

Ask your source of remanufactured cartridges:
1. What is the page yield of this cartridge using ASTM standards?
2. Using that number, what is the cost to print a standard five percent page?

Why are OEM cartridges so expensive?
Because, as a great bank robber used to say when asked why he robbed banks, “That’s where the money is!”

Just as in the past century, razor blade companies sold their razors at cost or less so that consumers would have to buy their blades again and again, printer manufacturers sell their machine (laser or ink) for little more than cost—sometimes less. They make all of their profits on selling the cartridges and that profit is astronomical. According to a Boston-based research firm, Lyra Research, Inc., one OEM (Lexmark) realizes as much as 50 percent profits on its supplies stream.

You may have noticed that the cost of printers is becoming cheaper and cheaper. You may have bought your home printer for under $100 and office printers have gone under the $1,000 mark—a huge departure from the past.

Did you also notice that the prices for supplies for those printers are not decreasing? This is a common marketing scheme. Sell the machine cheaply and make money on the supplies. The OEMs make the lion’s share of their profits in these supplies, because they have adopted a razor and blade business model. The OEMs sell their printers at low or no profit, because they make up their lost profits – and then some – on the supplies.

How do I go about remanufacturing my cartridges?
You cannot do it well yourself. There is much more involved than simply refilling the cartridges with ink or toner. The companies that sell do-it-yourself kits have very few repeat customers. See www.consumerchoice.info for examples.

There is a state-by state list of Int’l ITC members and how to contact them on the www.consumerchoice.info website. There are hundreds of dealers who will offer products and buy back cartridges. To find a dealer nearest you, click on the Find a Dealer logo.

What should I look for in a remanufacturer?
The quickest, easiest and sure way to find a reputable cartridge remanufacturer near you is by using the Find a Dealer tool on www.consumerchoice.info. Once you have identified companies in your area, research each company website to find its product offerings or call or e-mail a sales representative. You will want to ask:
1.) What type of service guarantee do they offer, and
2.) Is the company STMC certified, which means that its products have been quality tested by an independent third-party.

Also, beware of scams and fraud, especially from toner-phoners who call with deals too good to be true. See the Smart Consumer section of www.consumerchoice.info.

Choose Remanufacturing
It’s the Smart Choice

How do I know I am getting a quality product and not something inferior?
The proof is in the pudding. You will know if the print quality meets your expectations and it will only take a few cartridges before you know if you are getting more or fewer pages per cartridge.

If you want to improve your chances of getting high quality cartridges before you buy them, you can:
1. Read advertising and warranties carefully, and
2. Ask for specifications based upon independent third-party testing.

Many remanufacturers regularly supply their customers with detailed information regarding the product’s specification, performance and track record. It is in their competitive self interest to promote such information to their customers.

Additionally, remanufacturers can become STMC-certified for quality. The aftermarket industry has worked with an independent standardized test developing organization, ASTM, to create tests for business imaging products. These tests are reviewed and then adopted by the industry’s standardized test methods committee (STMC), and members of the industry then obtain certification through extensive training in the use of those testing protocols. Once a company has proven that it understands and uses the test methods routinely, it is certified and the company may then display an STMC logo attesting to that certification on its products.

Lyra Research, Inc. did an independent study of medium- to large-sized businesses that use imaging supplies, both new and remanufactured. The report concluded that almost 80 percent of those businesses that used remanufactured cartridges found them to be equal to or exceed OEM performance.

What happens if I get a bad cartridge?
Most reputable remanufacturers will repair the product under the warranty they provide with their cartridges.

What about service?
Many reputable remanufacturers offer no cost printer cleaning. It is in their best interest that your printer be kept clean. Regular cleaning is also required by most OEM printer manufacturer warranties.

Many also offer printer repair services. Check into their training. Were they self-taught? Did they attend a class? Are they certified by the manufacturers of your printer to do warranty work? If a manufacturer certifies them for warranty and repair work, they most probably know what they are doing.

Who uses remanufactured cartridges?
Small and large organizations in varying industries are finding the rewards of purchasing remanufactured cartridges. For example more and more government agencies are saving taxpayers money by using remanufactured products and public school systems are participating in incentive programs by collecting used cartridges and turning them into remanufacturers for money or other school equipment and supplies.

I tried this before and did not like the product. Why should I try again?
In the early days of cartridge remanufacturing, there was a lack of real technical knowledge, critical supplies and replacement parts. The early remanufacturers often could not afford the equipment necessary to adequately test their products.

These shortcomings have been solved.

Thanks to advanced technology and the STMC certification process, today cartridge remanufacturers can offer products that are world-class competition to those of the OEMs.

Real testing, standards, knowledge and experience has transformed what once was a small cottage industry into a burgeoning industry that can offer great products and amazing values. The key is to choose a remanufacturer who knows what to do and does it consistently.

Quality is no longer a guessing game. It is a serious pursuit.

We lease our office machines. Don’t we have to use their supplies for best results?
No! Remanufactured products can offer equal results. Just like the OEMs, many service firms overprice their cartridges to increase their profits. Leases and service contracts vary widely but most offer supplies options.

I heard that using a remanufactured cartridge would void my printer warranty. Is this true?
No! OEM warranties require that any damage to the hardware has to be directly related to the use of a remanufactured or third-party product. And in those unusual circumstances, reputable remanufacturers repair the product under the warranty they provide with their cartridges.

The warranty policies of the major printer makers are listed in the Consumer Info section of www.consumerchoice.info. Not one of them prohibits the use of remanufactured cartridges as a condition of full warranty service.

What machines can use remanufactured cartridges?
Cartridges are in any printer or copier in your home or office. No matter what type of machine you own or what type of cartridge it takes, it is available remanufactured, or soon will be.