Subic firm cuts toxic wastes by recycling inkjet cartridges

A recycling company at the Subic Bay freeport zone has been effectively keeping thousands of tons of toxic plastic and metal away from dumpsites, thus earning the nod of environmentalists.

Printing Images CtC Inc. buys empty inkjet cartridges and sells them as quality re-manufactured inkjet cartridges to various customers all over the world.

Dr. Judea Millora of ZKK Foundation (Zero Kalat sa Kaunlaran) and the Zero Waste Recycling Movement of the Philippines noted that Printing Images CtC is a very good proof that recycling helps improve the environment and, at the same time, encourages entrepreneurship.

ZKK Foundation won the Best NGO Award for recycling in the First Asian Waste Management Excellence Award held in Kuala Lumpur last Nov. 7.

The award was given by the highly respected Regional Institute for Environmental Technology, composed of environmental groups from the European Commission and Asian countries.

Empty cartridge haul

Norbert Grimm, president of Printing Images CtC Inc., reported that every month, they are able to collect an average of 50,000 empty inkjet cartridges. Since each cartridge weighs about 45-50 grams, he said, his company has been able to keep away some 2,500 kilograms of toxic plastic and metal every month from dumpsites. For 2001, the company collected some 600,000 used cartridges.

Printing Images CtC Inc. is the only one in the country known to be in this business. However, it depends on a big army of collectors, involving many individuals and groups who have found the business both financially profitable and psychologically rewarding for its environmental implications.

"There is a lot more empty inkjet cartridges that find their way to dumpsites, so we would like to reach out to all those who have used up their inkjet cartridges for them to sell them to us," Grimm said.

"The global market is far from being exhausted. There are more and more buyers of quality re-manufactured inkjet cartridges, for economic and ecological reasons," he added.

Sound business ethics

The success of the business is based on sound, environment-friendly management and on technology know-how for ink formulation. The 90-man workforce is well-motivated with good pay, free lunch and snacks twice a day, every working day. The premises are clean, the rooms adequately lighted and ventilated.

Other evidence of recycling can be seen in the premises. Used drums that formerly contained ingredients for the ink have been recycled into planters for yellow bells and other plants, and arranged around the fence to enliven and provide more oxygen to the compound.

Printing Images CtC Inc., Grimm proudly revealed, does not owe any creditors and is in good standing with the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. The company also buys its raw materials for ink formulation and other needs from local dealers.

The company can be reached at its Subic headquarters (047-252-6012) or at its Makati City office (895-4994).