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Specialty Scrap
Printer Cartridges
Grade: VariousLow-Medium Tier
Used toner and ink cartridges
Market Price EstimateUpdated Daily
$450/ MT
-10 (-2.2%)vs yesterday
Verified specifications & market data
Chemical Composition
Elemental breakdown by percentage weight.
Standard composition limits
Values represent maximum allowed percentage unless otherwise noted.
Physical Properties
Material form, density, and contamination specifications.
End-of-life printer cartridges; office equipment waste stream; LOW precious metal content; HIGH plastic content (60-95% recyclable ABS/polycarbonate; 2-20% toner/ink residue contamination); ABSOLUTE HIGHEST SUPPLIER COUNT commodity (567 suppliers; printer ubiquity in offices); MASSIVE volume-driven bulk commodity; refurbishing-reusable market dominant (cartridge reuse instead of recycling); hazmat complexity moderate (toner/ink residue; selenium photoconductor); circular economy focus (office equipment circular lifecycles); environmental sustainability driver
Acceptable Inclusions
- Plastic housing 60-95% (cartridge specification)
- Toner/ink residue 2-20% (typical office use; acceptable)
- Metal components 1-10% (low-value; acceptable)
- Photoconductor drum <5% (present typical; acceptable)
- Electronics <2% (minimal acceptable)
- Dust/residue typical (office use normal)
Prohibited Materials
- Plastic <60% (below cartridge specification; material integrity compromised)
- Extreme toner/ink contamination (>20%; not economical to clean)
- Photoconductor drum cracked (selenium hazmat; disposal required)
- Mercury/cadmium components (hazmat extreme; legacy cartridges rare)
- Unknown cartridge type or model (refurbishing capability uncertain)
Quality Assurance
Testing protocols, sampling methods, and acceptance criteria.
Sampling Protocol
frequencyRandom sampling with model type verification; refurbishing compatibility assessment
maximumQuantity50,000+ cartridges per shipment
minimumQuantity100-500 cartridges or 10-50 kg
percentage5-10% of lot
Acceptance Limits
all Criteria Must PassMaterial must be printer cartridge; plastic 60-95%; contamination acceptable; refurbishing economically viable
cartridge StatusConfirmed as printer cartridge; brand/model identified; refurbishing-compatible status verified
contamination LevelToner/ink 2-20% assessed; cleaning cost economically feasible; refurbishing viable
hazmat ProfilePhotoconductor integrity verified; selenium hazmat risk assessed; cracked drum protocol clear
plastic IntegrityPlastic housing 60-95% confirmed; structural integrity acceptable
Weight Tolerance
measurementBulk weight acceptable; precision secondary
variance±15% from expected weight
Required Test Methods
100% Visual Cartridge Type Identification
Purpose
- Confirm cartridge type
- identify brand/model
- assess refurbishing compatibility
- verify model market demand
Acceptance Criteria
- Cartridge type identified
- brand/model confirmed
- refurbishing compatibility verified
- market demand tier assessed
Procedure
- Sample visual inspection
- identify cartridge brand/model
- confirm type (toner/inkjet)
- verify refurbishing database compatibility
Toner/Ink Contamination Assessment
Purpose
- Assess residual toner/ink level
- estimate contamination percentage
- determine cleaning cost feasibility
Acceptance Criteria
- Contamination 2-20% range assessed
- cleaning cost estimated
- refurbishing economical viability confirmed
Procedure
- Sample contamination inspection
- estimate toner/ink percentage
- evaluate cleaning time/cost feasibility
Photoconductor Drum Integrity Check
CRITICAL
Purpose
- verify photoconductor drum intact
- assess selenium hazmat risk
- determine if cracked (hazmat)
Acceptance Criteria
- Drum integrity assessed
- cracked risk
- hazmat protocol CLEAR if needed
Procedure
- Sample drum visual inspection
- check for cracks/damage
- assess selenium hazmat risk
- document disposal protocol if cracked
Refurbishing Compatibility Assessment
Purpose
- Verify cartridge model refurbishing database compatibility
- confirm market demand tier
- assess resale viability
Acceptance Criteria
- Model compatibility confirmed
- market demand [high/moderate/low] determined
- refurbishing viable status
Procedure
- Model compatibility database check
- market demand research
- refurbishing facility capability confirmation