Fundraising by Recycling Inkjet Printer Cartridges – Turn Trash in Cash pt.2

You know how it seems that every time you need to print something on your home computer the ink runs out? Well, don’t throw away those empty cartridges anymore because they are worth money. A great way to fundraise for your organization, school, or cause is to join a computer printer ink cartridge recycling program. This works very well for large organizations such as schools. Over the course of a school year a surprising amount of ink cartridges from printers and fax machines and toner cartridges from copy machines can be collected and turned in for cash.

You know how it seems that every time you need to print something on your home computer the ink runs out? Well, don’t throw away those empty cartridges anymore because they are worth money. A great way to fundraise for your organization, school, or cause is to join a computer printer ink cartridge recycling program. This works very well for large organizations such as schools. Over the course of a school year a surprising amount of ink cartridges from printers and fax machines and toner cartridges from copy machines can be collected and turned in for cash. The amount of money you can receive for each ranges from fifty cents for an inkjet cartridge to as much as $24.00 for a toner cartridge. The average amount is $1.00 or $2.00 per cartridge.

You can search on the internet for “inkjet recycling for fundraising” and come up with a large number of companies that are in this business. Most of these companies will send your organization a recycling information kit. You will receive a list of what brands of inkjet and toner cartridges to collect and how much they will pay for each one. Most of the time you will need to send in a minimum amount, such as twenty-five cartridges. The cartridges should be in “virgin” condition, which means that they have not been previously refilled or recycled.

Individuals and businesses can also participate in these programs. They are not just restricted to nonprofit organizations or charities. If you are not enrolled in a recycling program you can still turn in your cartridges at office supply stores. Some stores will give you something in return. For example OfficeMax stores offer a free ream of OfficeMax brand recycled paper in exchange for an empty inkjet or toner cartridge (valid only on Dell, HP and Lexmark brands).

Starting a recycling program not only raises money it also benefits the environment. Some schools use recycling in their lesson plans and get the children actively involved in learning about the environmental impact of recycling. I know of a school in our town that raised over $2,000 last year with ink cartridge recycling. The money was used to reduce the price charged to each student who took Advanced Placement tests. Because of this one fundraiser, the fee to take an AP test was reduced from $84.00 to $62.00.

Article by Amy Passmore of DIY Fundraising. Visit www.diyfundraising.com for do-it-yourself fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations, clubs, schools and groups.