What to Do With Unused Ink Cartridges

Your old printer died, so you bought a new printer. But now you have a stack of unused ink cartridges. You do not have to throw them away -- in fact, you should not. You can choose an environmentally friendly and fiscally responsible alternative.

Sell

Make use of auction sites or local sales listings, like Craigslist, to sell your unused cartridges. Do an Internet search for ink buyers, as there are several websites that offer to buy either used or unused cartridges. You can also list them in your local newspaper's classified ads, or offer them at your next yard sale.

Donate

Call around to see if any local nonprofits or charities could use your ink. Many nonprofits use older model printers and will be happy to use your surplus. Toner Depot offers a March of Dimes donation program online.

Recycle

If you cannot find anyone to take and use the old cartridges, you can always recycle them just as if they were empty. Computer Hope lists a number of manufacturers and retail stores that accept ink cartridges for recycling, including Hewlett-Packard, Epson and Office Depot.