How to Dispose of a Printer?

You may have bought a new printer and now need to get rid of the old one. Printers cannot be put in a general waste bin and therefore will not be taken by your weekly bin collection. They are also classified as WEEE waste therefore must be disposed of in the correct manner. We have created this guide to give you some idea of how to dispose of your used printer.

Give the Old Printer Away

If the printer is still functional and not broken, give it to someone who made need it. Ask around family and friends and see if they could make use of the old machine. It will save them money and a trip to PC world. You could even list the printer on freecycle or gumtree. Local people can now message you to collect the old device. Look on local Facebook groups there could be someone who is in need of a printer.

Sell the Old Printer

If your unwanted printer is in full working order look to sell it. There are lost of selling sites and online marketplaces out there like eBay and Facebook Market place. List the old printer on these websites and watch the bidders come in. You can even select "collection only" when listing the old printer meaning the person will even come and collect it. Cash in your pocket, great for the environment and the printer is gone.

Donate the Old Printer

See if there are any local charity shops that may take it. Call the charity shop and see if they accept electronics. You would be disposing of the printer in a environmentally friendly manner and helping out a good cause. Many charities and programs will look to reuse old printers by sending them to developing countries. Here the old printers can be used by people who need them.

Recycle Your Old Printer

Broken printers can be recycled. You can take the broken printer to your local recycling centre. Here they will collect all sorts of waste electrical appliances. Contact your local authority to find out whether recycling centres in your area accept printers. Recycling printers is the most environmentally friendly option when it comes to disposing of broken printers. 

Contact Printer's Manufacturer

May manufacturers now offer take-back programmes where they can recycle printers. Examples would be HP printers, Samsung or Sony. This is a great option for getting rid of used printers and a good alternative for those who do not have access to printer recycling centres.

Private WEEE Waste Collection 

You can pay for a electrical waste disposal company to collect and dispose of the printer for you. This can be the most convenient option but you will have to pay for it. Just Hire works with some WEEE waste specialists who can deal with your electrical waste. 

Repair the Printer

Rather than getting rid of the broken printer why don't you get it repaired. Look to see if there are any printer repair shops in your area. In most cases it will be cheaper repairing the old printer than buying a new one. Even if you want a new printer, with the old one fixed you can sell it or give it away.

How to Dispose of Ink Cartridges?

If you have left over printer cartridges or toner cartridges these also need to be disposed of properly. Ink cartridges can be taken to recycle centres and some electrical retailers. Some charities and community groups will also collect printer cartridges.

Can a Printer be put in a Skip?

No a printer cannot be put in a skip. Printers are WEEE waste and cannot go to landfill. If you put a printer in a skip, the skip company may refuse to collect the skip or they will charge you can extra fee. 

Summary - Printer Disposal

• Give Away the Unwanted Printer

• Sell the Printer

• Donate the Printer

• Recycle Broken printers

• Manufacturer Take Back

• Repair the Printer

Just make sure whatever you do dispose of the printer properly!