HP closed-loop recycling
Reducing environmental impact starts with smarter choices. The solution brief, "HP Closed-Loop Recycling," explains how HP's recycling system reuses materials from returned cartridges — combining them with recovered ocean-bound plastics to create new Original HP Cartridges. Download the solution brief to see how your organization can take part in HP's circular system
Frequently Asked Questions
How does HP’s closed-loop recycling program work?
HP’s closed-loop recycling program is designed to keep materials in use and out of landfills by reimagining how cartridges are made and reused.
Here’s what happens when you return Original HP Cartridges through HP Planet Partners:
1. **Collection and return**
- You send back your used Original HP Ink or Toner Cartridges using free HP Planet Partners options: mail-back labels, envelopes, boxes, pallet pickup for large volumes, or drop-off at participating locations (for use in North America only; availability varies by country at hp.com/recycle).
- HP Planet Partners manages a broad network of third‑party recycling vendors to handle the materials.
2. **Sorting and disassembly**
- Returned cartridges are **sorted, disassembled, and shredded**.
- In HP’s closed-loop process, **almost every part** of the ink or toner cartridge is either **recycled or reused**, so nothing is intended to go to landfill.
3. **Material recovery and blending**
- HP combines the recovered cartridge plastics with other post‑consumer recycled materials, including **reclaimed ocean‑bound plastic bottles** and other plastics.
- These materials are processed into renewed plastics that can be used again.
4. **Manufacturing new products**
- The renewed plastics are used to make **new Original HP Printer Cartridges** and, in some cases, **other everyday products**.
- As of the latest data, **88% of Original HP Ink Cartridges contain between 5–75% recycled content** (ink bottles and some other products are excluded; see hp.com/InkRecycledContent for details).
- HP also publishes lists of toner products with recycled content at hp.com/go/TonerRecycledContent.
5. **Scale of the program**
- Over **1 billion print cartridges** had been returned to the HP Planet Partners recycling program as of **December 31, 2022**.
- This scale helps HP and its customers collectively reduce the amount of plastic that might otherwise end up in landfills or the environment.
By choosing Original HP Cartridges and returning them through HP Planet Partners, you’re participating in a more circular system where materials are continually brought back to life instead of being discarded after a single use.
Why should I choose Original HP Cartridges instead of non-HP or remanufactured cartridges?
Choosing Original HP Cartridges and recycling them through HP Planet Partners can help you manage print quality, reduce waste, and support your sustainability reporting.
Here are the key points based on HP-commissioned research and recycling data:
1. **Print quality and reprints**
- A January 2024 Escalent study (commissioned by HP) with **220 HP ServiceOne Partners** in the US found that **60% of problems caused by non‑HP toner cartridges are print quality issues**, such as streaks and smears.
- Poor print quality often means **reprinting pages**, which uses more paper, energy, and toner, and can increase your overall printing costs.
2. **End-of-life outcomes**
- HP estimates that **65% of total non‑HP ink and toner cartridges end up in a landfill**.
- A 2023 Escalent Recycling study (commissioned by HP) found that in the remanufacturing channel:
- **Over half** of the ink and toner cartridges collected by remanufacturers were **unusable for remanufacturing**.
- **71% of remanufactured ink and toner cartridges sold will end up in landfills**.
- In other words, remanufacturing alone does not necessarily prevent cartridges from eventually going to landfill.
3. **Closed-loop recycling with HP**
- When you return **Original HP Cartridges** through HP Planet Partners, HP’s closed-loop process is designed so that **almost every part of the cartridge is recycled or reused**, with no material intentionally sent to landfill.
- HP combines the recovered cartridge plastics with other post‑consumer materials (including reclaimed ocean‑bound plastic bottles) to make **new Original HP Cartridges** and other products.
- **88% of Original HP Ink Cartridges** contain **5–75% recycled content**, helping you support circularity goals.
4. **Sustainability reporting and documentation**
- If your organization recycles at scale, HP can provide a **certificate showing quantities recycled** to support your sustainability benefit reporting (available by request through your HP account manager).
- This documentation can be useful for ESG reporting, internal sustainability dashboards, or customer communications.
5. **Operational simplicity**
- HP offers multiple no‑cost return options (mail‑back, drop‑off, pallet pickup for large volumes), plus **order tracking**, **one‑click re‑ordering for recycling materials**, and **account linking for multiple locations**.
- These options are designed to make it easier to standardize on Original HP Cartridges and integrate recycling into your regular operations.
In summary, using Original HP Cartridges and HP Planet Partners helps you manage print reliability while contributing to a more circular system that keeps more cartridges out of landfills.
How can my organization participate in HP Planet Partners recycling?
Your organization can integrate HP Planet Partners into your print operations with a few straightforward steps. The program is designed for North America use (and other regions where available), and participation options vary by country, so it’s best to confirm local availability at **hp.com/recycle**.
Here’s how to get started and manage different volumes:
1. **Check availability and set up access**
- Visit **hp.com/recycle** (or hp.com/hprecycle where indicated) to confirm that HP Planet Partners is available in your country or region.
- Sign in or create an account to enable **quicker, easier ordering** of recycling materials and to access **order tracking**.
2. **Choose the right return method**
HP offers several no‑cost options for returning **Original HP Cartridges**:
- **Mail it back**
- Order **free shipping labels, envelopes, or boxes** for an easy pack‑and‑ship experience.
- Use these materials to consolidate used Original HP Ink and Toner Cartridges and send them to HP’s recycling partners.
- **Drop it off**
- **Drop off your Original HP Cartridges at a participating location** near you at no cost (where available).
- This can be convenient for smaller offices or distributed teams.
- **Pallet pickup for high volumes**
- If you have **more than 76 toner cartridges** or **more than 1,000 ink cartridges**, you can **schedule a free pallet pickup**.
- This option is designed for larger organizations, managed print environments, or centralized facilities.
3. **Coordinate across multiple locations**
- Use **account linking for multiple locations** so different offices or branches can participate under a coordinated program.
- This helps central teams track participation and volumes across the organization.
4. **Leverage reporting and documentation**
- For organizations that need formal documentation, HP can provide a **certificate showing quantities recycled** to support sustainability benefit reporting (available by request through your HP account manager).
- This can be integrated into ESG reports, CSR updates, or internal sustainability metrics.
5. **Communicate the impact internally**
- You can share with employees that:
- HP has received **over 1 billion print cartridges** through HP Planet Partners as of **December 31, 2022**.
- **88% of Original HP Ink Cartridges** contain **5–75% recycled content**, reflecting the impact of returning cartridges.
- Positioning the program as a standard operating practice helps embed circular thinking into your print strategy.
By setting up one or more of these return options, your organization can make cartridge recycling a routine part of operations and contribute to HP’s closed-loop system that keeps materials in use longer and reduces landfill dependence.

