Disposable printer cartridges may be banned in the US

The Los Angeles City Council is preparing a new ordinance that will affect the market for printer ink and toner. These are consumables that cannot be recycled or refilled. The initiative is part of the city’s broader strategy to transition to a “zero waste” model.

Single-use Printer Consumables Ban Act

The City Council voted to draft a document that would ban single-use printer cartridges unless they are refillable and the manufacturer offers an official take-back program. Most modern laser and inkjet printers use cartridges that are designed for single use: when the ink or toner runs out, the user has to buy a new one. An additional problem is the built-in DRM restrictions, which often make self-refilling technically impossible. The city hall believes that such practices are outdated and do not meet the city’s environmental goals.

In fact, the resolution is aimed at any modules with ink or toner, which end up in a landfill without the possibility of proper recycling. Cartridges are made from a mixture of plastic, metals and chemical compounds, which makes their disposal difficult and expensive. Even if classified as hazardous waste, it would take hundreds of years for such products to decompose. According to the city authorities, an effective solution is not to complicate disposal, but to eliminate the cause of waste generation – the massive use of disposable cartridges.

At the same time, the city hall emphasizes that it is not about regulating ink prices or the availability of printing. Most buyers are guided by the low cost of the printer itself, without taking into account the long-term environmental consequences. The new approach is primarily related to reducing unnecessary links in the distribution chains and reducing waste. Even formal cartridge return programs are meaningless if they are still disposed of without recycling.

The document pays special attention to the market for non-original and counterfeit cartridges. Such products are also usually not designed for refilling, create additional waste and harm the industry. In this regard, the ban may also affect disposable cartridges that violate copyright and intellectual property rights. At the same time, the practice of blocking third-party inks and toners through firmware updates is likely to continue: the resolution focuses exclusively on the problem of waste, and not on manufacturers’ policies in the field of compatibility.

The future of the bill

The document still has to go through all stages of approval before it acquires the status of a law and enters into force. However, the very fact of its appearance fits into an already existing trend. San Francisco has previously banned the use of disposable cartridges in municipal facilities, and in Europe, Catalonia has passed a law that will completely ban disposable printer cartridges from January 1, 2025.

Such measures are part of a larger environmental legislation aimed at transitioning to a circular economy. This approach restricts the sale and distribution of non-refillable consumables, forcing manufacturers and consumers to choose more sustainable and reusable solutions. The trend towards abandoning disposable products, including printer cartridges, is gradually becoming global.