Ford buys remanufactured cartridges. Does your company?

Ford is leading the way for others. If it works for them why
aren't more people taking this path?
Read below and realize the true benefits of going green
and buying compatible/remanufactured cartridges.


FORD MOTOR COMPANY PARTNERS WITH REMANUFACTURER

     WasteWise charter partner Ford Motor Company established a
partnership with its supplier to take back and remanufacture
toner cartridges used at its North American facilities. In 1996,
Ford estimates it avoided disposing of more than 67,700 pounds
of toner cartridges, and saved an estimated $180,000 in avoided
disposal costs. Since 1991, Ford has collected more than 332,000
pounds of toner cartridges for remanufacturing and saved $1.2
million in the process.

     Empty toner cartridges are collected in a variety of ways at
Ford facilities, depending on how office products are purchased.
In some cases, employee volunteers establish collection centers
and call the supplier when at least 10 empty cartridges have been
collected. In other locations, facilities have established an
exchange program and are responsible for collecting and returning
the empty cartridges. Once the supplier receives the old
cartridges, it inventories them and credits Ford for each
cartridge returned. The supplier pays anywhere from $1 to $13 per
used cartridge, depending on the cartridge type, and then sends
the cartridges to a remanufacturer who completely disassembles,
cleans, and repackages the cartridge. Ford then buys back the
remanufactured cartridges for about 30 percent less than the cost
of a new cartridge.

     Ford believes that the key to the success of the program has
been the educational program offered to Ford employees about using
and maintaining printers, copiers, and fax machines properly,
thereby extending the cartridges’ life. The supplier firmly
believes that careful maintenance (e.g., cleaning) of office
equipment that require cartridges is essential to the good
performance of new and remanufactured cartridges alike. 

     For more information on Ford’s program,
write: Andy Acho, Director Environmental Outreach and Strategy,
Ford WHQ, Dearborn, Michigan 48121-1899.

http://www.epa.gov/waste/partnerships/wastewise/pubs/wwupda6.txt