HP Gets a Little Greener With New Packaging

HPs newly redesign print cartridge will help cut down on green house emissions by an estimated 37 million pounds in 2007.

Just how much pollution can ink cartridges produce? To give you a rough idea, HP is predicting that by redesigning their print cartridge package alone, the company will reduce greenhouse emissions by an estimated 37 million pounds in 2007 – that’s the equivalent of taking 3,600 cars off the road.

So what makes this new packaging better? According to HP they are smaller and lighter and reduce the carbon footprint of each cartridge in addition to reducing the freighter transportation traffic required to ship them. The new HP inkjet cartridge multi-packs and photo value packs will now be made with recycled paperboard instead of PVC.

New HP LaserJet toner cartridge packaging uses 45 percent less packaging material by weight. The more compact package also contains an innovative multi-chamber air bag that protects the cartridge from transport damage, dust, moisture and light. The smaller boxes can be shipped 30 percent more efficiently – a standard shipping pallet holds 203 cartridges instead of the previous 144.

While taking 3,600 cars off the road doesn’t appear to be a big deal, it goes to show that a little ink cartridge can in fact have a large impact on the environment.