Analysis of toner-cartridge remanufacturer waste stream

Environmental concerns with the disposal of laser-printer toner cartridges are being addressed, in part, by the remanufacture of toner cartridges. Remanufacturing, or recycling at a part level, involves the disassembly, restoration to like-new condition and reassembly of a used product. Remanufacturing offers significant environmental benefits by reusing the energy and resources expended during original manufacture, and by diverting solid waste from landfill and incineration. Since the primary purpose of remanufacturing is to reuse parts, the parts that are not reused enter the remanufacturers' waste stream and may be studied to identify difficulties in remanufacture. The research undertaken aims to quantify the amount of product discarded (as opposed to reused) and to categorise reasons for discard in the toner-cartridge industry. From the discard reasons, it may be possible to identify product design factors that directly affect the remanufacturability of the product. This knowledge may be used to formulate design strategies to facilitate remanufacturing. The waste streams of three toner-cartridge remanufacturers were studied. Data gathered over a period of four months showed the main reasons for discard and highlighted areas in toner-cartridge design that are problematic for remanufacture.