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Customer Care Center for Recycling Green Initiative
Our program accepts original equipment manufacturer (OEM ) inkjet and laser cartridges. Unfortunately, we along with most entities within the industry do not accept ink tanks, compatible or re-manufactured cartridges. The simple answer to your next question is: they have no value, thus we simply pay to ship them from one location to another.
Please help us minimize our costs and consolidate your cartridge shipments. Whenever possible, please ship a minimum of 20lbs of cartridges (40lb max) per box. Your cooperation ensures the vitality of our green initiative program.
This page contains assorted useful information including tools & tips, FAQ’s and logistical information.
All cartridges must be in good condition without cracks in the plastic case or visible damage to the print head.
Q. Is the Recycling Collection Program still available in Alaska, Hawaii and Canada?
A. No. Due to the high cost in freight associated with shipments from Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and the US Territories, there are no separate Ink or Laser collection materials available outside the Continental United States.
Q. Can we ship one cartridge back at a time?
A. No. Ship as many cartridges in one box as possible.?Please help us minimize our costs and consolidate your cartridge shipments. Whenever possible, please ship a minimum of 20lbs of cartridges (40lb max) per box. Your cooperation ensures the vitality of our program. Our return labels have been created for our customers who have the cartridges already in bulk containers, not individual cartridges. You can combine the cartridges in the same box. However, the print heads on Ink cartridges can easily be damaged. Therefore, if it is convenient, we ask that you separate Ink cartridges from Laser cartridges.
Tip: A large box from a case of copy paper can be ideal for your Laser cartridge returns.
Q. Do you accept re-manufactured or compatible Laser cartridges?
A.?Our program accepts original equipment manufacturer (OEM ) inkjet and laser cartridges. Unfortunately, we along with most entities within the industry do not accept ink tanks, compatible or re-manufactured cartridges. The simple answer to your next question is: they have no value, thus we simply pay to ship them from one location to another.
Q. How do we order replacement return labels?
A. Simply complete our re-order form online, email us or call us directly.
Q. Is this program available in the Continental United States?
A. Yes, our Inkjet & Laser collection program is available in 48 states. Due to economic reasons, it is not available in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and the US Territories.
Q. Are there any costs charged to our organization for participating in this program?
A. This program is absolutely free. Unless we have posted a special buy, we never charge you for anything, including the collection bins, return labels or shipping costs.
Q. We want to plan a recycling program, what do we do first?
A. Complete the registration form and we?ll rush you the collection materials. Someone may call you directly to follow up.
Q. How long does it take to get paid?
A. Recycle Free does not offer payments for cartridges returned. Our recycling program is a green initiative.
Q. We are anxious to start recycling. How long does it take to receive the collection materials?
A. You can begin your recycling efforts immediately. However, your collection materials take approximately two to three weeks to arrive.
Q. What do you do with the cartridges that are collected?
A. Cartridges are cleaned, refilled and repackaged. Once completed, they are sold back to office supply resellers & distributors nationwide.
Q. How are the cartridges inspected?
Our facilities record and conduct an initial inspection of each cartridge received. Further inspections are also administered.
Q. Can we ship the collection bins if they are not full?
A. Yes you can. However, it is more cost effective if your boxes are full. We suggest you ship the collection bins or shipping boxes on a monthly basis.
Q. We noticed that many Laser cartridges we purchase include a postage-prepaid return label for our cartridge returns. Shall we use these labels instead of the ones from Recycle Free?
A. Labels are available from many sources, however we ask that you use our free service than the services of the big companies such as Hewlett Packard and the rest. Help the little guys.
Q. What happens if we continue to ship cartridges to EnviroSmart using our existing EnviroSmart collection materials?
A. Unfortunately, EnviroSmart is not participating in any collection programs. We suggest that you order our labels and you can ship the cartridges using them. Simply cover the existing labels with these new labels.
Q. Do you still have any of our EnviroSmart recycling envelopes available?
A. No. They are no longer available.
Q. Can you ship us labels instead of boxes for our Laser cartridge returns?
A. Yes. We no longer provide Laser collection boxes. Instead, we ship you UPS return labels to affix to your own large boxes. Please do not ship one cartridge per label. We request a minimum of 6 Laser cartridges per box. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Q. Can you ship us labels instead of boxes for our Laser cartridge returns?
A. Yes. We no longer provide Laser collection boxes. Instead, we ship you return labels to affix to your own large boxes. Please do not ship one cartridge per label. We request a minimum of 6 Laser cartridges per box. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Q. We have a warehouse full of cartridges. Do you provide pickups of cartridges from wooden skids?
A. Yes. We can provide a pickup of multiple skids from your location at no cost through a local or national freight carrier.
Q. How can we receive a monthly shipment of collection materials?
A. This is simple. New customers can simply check the appropriate box on our registration form. In addition, existing customers may issue a re-order and select the necessary change.
Returning Your Inkjet & Laser Cartridges
Prepaid return labels are ideal for all Inkjet & Laser cartridge returns. Affix the label to any large box and place a minimum of six (6) empty Laser cartridges in each box, a large quantity of Inkjet cartridges or both. Tape the box shut, and ship the cartridges. It’s just that simple.
Tip: A large box from a case of copy paper can be ideal for your Laser cartridge returns.
Ship Multiple Cartridges in Each Box
These return labels have been created for our customers who have the cartridges already in bulk containers, not individual cartridges. Please do not affix one label to the outside of one Laser cartridge. Nor should you tape individual Laser boxes together.
How to Identify a?Re-manufactured?Cartridge
A re-manufactured, or compatible cartridge, has been manufactured at least once before. In most cases, it will not bear the name and logo of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). Look for the words “re-manufactured,” or “manufactured from new and used parts” on the cartridges.
A virgin cartridge, also known as an OEM cartridge, has never been re-manufactured. It bears the name and logo of the printer manufacturer (i.e. ? Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, etc) and not that of an alternate company (i.e. ? Rhinotek, Staples? brand, Office Depot? brand, etc).
Do NOT send ribbon cartridges, as they do not qualify for this program.
Each display has a return label affixed to the box. When the box is full or you want to ship your mobile phones back, simply tape the box shut, and ship the phones. It’s just that simple.
Preparing your Package of Cartridges or Mobile Phones
Pack items in a sturdy box using cushioning materials to keep them secure.
Cartridges have a tendency to leak ink. Therefore, please utilize large plastic liners or zipper protection bags whenever available.
You will need to protect any loose cartridges from damage as a direct result from shipping. We suggest wrapping the cartridges in packaging materials (i.e. – newspaper or corn starch-based packaging peanuts).
Mobile phones can easily be damaged.
You will need to protect the mobile phones from damage as a direct result from shipping. We suggest wrapping the mobile phones in packaging materials (i.e. – newspaper or corn starch-based packaging peanuts) or layering them in the box with strips of cushioning material between each layer.
Remove or black out any old shipping labels. Seal the box with shipping tape.
Freight Policy for Cartridge and Mobile Phone Returns
There are no minimums. However, in an effort to control our operating expenses, we request that our clients ship the following minimums:
– 25 or more mobile phones
– 6 or more laser cartridges
– 25 or more inkjet cartridges
Note: Most of our customers return 50 to 100 mobile phones at one time.
Recycle Free is committed to protecting your privacy. You can visit most pages on our site without giving us any information about yourself. But sometimes we do need information to provide services that you request, and this privacy statement explains data collection and use in those situations.
We may use the information you provide about yourself to fulfill your requests for our products, programs, and services, to respond to your inquiries about our offerings, and to offer you other products, programs or services that we believe may be of interest to you.
We sometimes use this information to communicate with you, such as to notify you when you have won one of our contests or when we make changes to our recycling programs, to fulfill a request by you for an online newsletter, or to contact you about your account with us.
Finally, the Recycle Free site covered by this Privacy Notice will not use or transfer personally identifiable information provided to us in ways unrelated to the ones described above without also providing you with an opportunity to opt out of these unrelated uses.
Our website contains photographs and line-art drawings of numerous products. The cartridge photographs are depicted for identification purposes only. This cartridge & mobile phone collection/return programs are not sponsored by or affiliated with the original equipment manufacturers. Hewlett Packard and HP are registered trademarks of Hewlett Packard Company, Canon and BJ are registered trademarks of Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Nu-kote is a registered trademark of Nu-kote International, MOTOROLA, and the Stylized M Logo are registered trademarks of Motorola Inc, Sprint and the diamond logo are registered trademarks of Sprint Communications Company L.P., used under license, Sprint is a service mark of Sprint Communications Company L.P., neither of which have sponsored or endorsed this project. This is a recycling program of Recycle Free Incorporated, of which part of the cartridge recycling effort is a program in cooperation with other industry partners.