10 Daily Habits That Accidentally Harm The Environment - Page 2

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Throwing away ink cartridges
It’s always a little confusing when your printer runs out of ink. It’s a hectic time. You usually only realize it when you desperately need to print something, that you need to bring to a meeting, that started 10 minutes ago. So, in a hurry, you may just toss out the old one while replacing the new one. But not so fast. The actual ink in these cartridges contain volatile organic compounds that can be very damaging to our soil. Furthermore, their plastic can take ages to decompose. There are several ways to safely dispose of finished ink cartridges, including taking them to an office supply store, where you may even get rewards points for being a responsible recycler. Often, the ink manufacturer has a cartridge recycling program, so you can call them directly.