Toner Cartridge Closed-Loop Recycling
[Company / organization] Canon Inc.
Starting period
In 1990, Canon launched its Toner Cartridge Recycling Program, the first such program in the industry. The program continues to operate today.
Description of technology and business model
Returned used toner cartridges are brought to Canon recycling sites, where they are sorted by model and the reusable parts are picked out. Washing and maintenance are performed as needed, and the parts are then reused in new products. Parts that cannot be reused are crushed and separated by material using physical characteristics such as electrostatic properties and specific gravity.
The primary material of toner cartridges is the highimpact polystyrene (HIPS) used primarily for the housing. HIPS can be used repeatedly to make new toner cartridges, a unique feature of Canon’s closedloop recycling process.
Targets and achievements
We conduct used toner cartridge collection in 23 countries and regions (with a cumulative collection volume of about 435,000 tons as of the end of 2020) for recycling at four sites* in and outside Japan. As of 2020 we have achieved a cumulative reduction in the use of new resources of approximately 306,000 tons.
* Japan: Canon Ecology Industry
United States: Canon Virginia
France: Canon Bretagne
China: Canon Dalian Business Machines
URLs that introduce the initiative
- Recycle
- Design
- Production
- Distribution
- Utilisation
- End-of-use
- Electrical/Electronic Equipment
- Individual company
- Overseas initiative
- Currently under implementation (already in business)
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