SUSTAINABLE CONSUMABLES
CONTINUED
Contributors
remanufactured or refillable toner cartridges help cut waste, lower raw material use and minimise carbon impact. “For example, innovative products like Katun’s industry-first ecoKAP™ refillable
Konica Minolta also has a wide range of sustainable options. “This includes toner bottles that contain up to 61% recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) made from empty milk bottles, products designed for long life, and a consumable recycling scheme with zero waste to landfill,” Ben says. “We have set a goal to make our products from more than 90% circulated resources (recycled materials and biomaterials) by 2050. While cost remains important, clients increasingly assess value through a total cost and sustainability lens.” Cinzia agrees that while cost remains an important factor in purchasing decisions, sustainable products increasingly offer comparable value, quality and reliability to conventional alternatives. “In many cases, they also provide longer product lifecycles and help customers advance their circular economy objectives,” she notes. “At Katun, around one third of our EMEA product range is classified as eco-friendly, including remanufactured and refilled OEM-equivalent toner cartridges and products made with recycled plastics.” Disposal But it isn’t just about the sustainability of the consumable in use but also how it is disposed of afterwards. “Sustainability goes beyond the use of the product itself – responsible end-of-life management
toner cartridges can be reused up to three times, delivering 84% less
Ben Mills
environmental impact than purchasing a new cartridge (per Independent Lifecycle Assessment conducted in April 2022),” she says. “Remanufactured products such as toner, drums, and printers also offer major sustainability benefits, while maintaining performance and reliability.” Sustainable options There are an increasing range of sustainable options are available to customers. James adds that in 2025, Ricoh launched its Circular Economy (CE) Range of A3 IMC/Metis devices. “These build on our first remanufactured device from 2011,” he adds. “Each CE device is created from three end-of-life devices returned to our mega green centre in France, where they are disassembled, inspected and cleaned. The finished product offers the same quality and longevity as a new Ricoh device, with over 87% post-consumer content. “Customers can also pay a small monthly fee, sometimes as little as 50p per device, to offset cradle-to-grave emissions via our Carbon Balanced Offering.”
konicaminolta.co.uk
James Knox
ricoh.co.uk
Cinzia Gandini
katun.com
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