Canon and Konica Minolta - Toner Cartridge Recycling Programs

With all of the shipping delays and shortages affecting business today, it’s more important than ever to make sure we use products to their fullest extent. And for many products, this includes recycling them when their usefulness has come to an end.

One of these consumable items that can be recycled is your copier’s toner. There are actually quite a few businesses that will pick-up and recycle your toner for you, but if you would like to save money and the planet at the same time, you can recycle your toner cartridges directly via your copier’s manufacturer.

HOW TO RECYCLE CANON TONER CARTRIDGES

If you own a Canon copier, you can recycle your toner cartridges anywhere that accepts plastics. However, if you want to be sure your toner cartridge is properly recycled, or your area lacks the facilities to recycle toner cartridges, you can simply ship your toner back to Canon.

Below, you’ll find a photo of all the types of toner cartridges Canon will accept for recycling. As you can see, it’s an extensive list:

Note: For the most up-to-date list of Canon brand items accepted for return, please visit Canon's webpage here for the latest chart.

Canon recommends, if possible, that you return more than one cartridge at a time in order to reduce waste and resources used to ship your used toner.

When shipping your toner back, follow these instructions provided by Canon:

Single Item Return

1. Repackage the empty acceptable Canon Brand item utilizing the wrapper and pulp mould end-blocks from the new item’s box.
2. Seal the box.

3. Print the Canon Return ARS Label.

4. Secure the label on the box.
5. Give the package to your UPS driver or drop off at the nearest authorized UPS Store/Customer Center or UPS Authorized Shipping Location.

Bundled Box Return

1. Complete steps 1-3 from single item return.
2. Bundle multiple boxes together securely with tape.
3. Complete steps 4-5 from single item return.

Volume Box Return

1. Place as many acceptable Canon Brand items that will safely fit into a sturdy shipping box.
2. Complete steps 2-5 from single item return. 

When using the Bundled Box or Volume Box Return options, please be sure the shipment does not exceed UPS specifications:

• Maximum weight is 70 pounds
• Maximum length is 108 inches
• Maximum girth is 130 inches (length +2 x width +2 x height)

To print a shipping label for your Canon Toner, visit Canon's pre-paid return label page here.

HOW TO RECYCLE KONICA MINOLTA TONER CARTRIDGES

Konica Minolta’s Clean Planet Program offers subscribers three different options: for small home office customers, the “Create Your Own Clean Planet Box,” for medium sized businesses, the “Box Program,” and for large businesses, the “Gaylord Program.”

Create Your Own Clean Planet Box

This plan is designed for Konica Minolta customers who use less than three toner cartridges every month. To send your toner back to Konica Minolta for recycling, simply find a box that will fit at least five toner cartridges (any box will do), print out a shipping label from Konica Minolta’s Clean Planet Program portal, and ship the box back.

Box Program

This plan is meant for Konica Minolta customers who use between four and two hundred cartridges per month. Konica Minolta will ship you three individual recycling boxes that are designed to hold ten to fifteen unboxed toner cartridges each and come with pre-printed shipping labels.

When the box is full, simply use the included shipping straps to secure the box and ship it off back to Konica Minolta.

Gaylord Program

This plan is made for Konica Minolta customers who use more than 200 toner cartridges per month, and have the ability to house a 4x4x4 gaylord. If you use this option, Konica Minolta will come to you to pick up your recycled toner cartridges.

To learn more about Konica Minolta’s various toner cartridge recycling options, visit the Clean Planet Program's webpage here.

THE POWER TO DO OUR PART

It may seem like a small thing, but recycling toner cartridges is a great way to help the planet, and help ease the burden on the shipping and manufacturing industries. If you aren’t already using these programs offered by Canon and Konica Minolta, consider starting — they make it very easy to do!