Last month, when Costco closed its in-store photo studio and made the company's photo development business fully online, Ventura County also lost an important environmental service.

These photo studios are the last local option for printer ink replenishment services. A year ago, Walgreens also discontinued printer charging services.

However, you can still replenish your inkjet printer cartridges by purchasing a replenishment kit online or at an office supply store. It costs less than half of the price of a new ink cartridge, but using printer ink can be troublesome.

When I tried it without disposable gloves, my hands were covered with ink. Another problem is finding filling holes. It is recommended to rub the label with your fingers, but some ink cartridges have multiple holes; only one ink cartridge that causes the sponge to be covered must be penetrated with a filling needle.

Unlike refilling, remanufacturing services provide a more common method of saving money and resources by reusing ink cartridges. Remanufacturing includes disassembly, temperature control to avoid ink drying, replacement of damaged parts, replacement of smart chips, refilling to an accurate level, matching ink formula to ink cartridge type, pressure adjustment, sealing to prevent leakage, testing to ensure production will be With the original product and packaged in a moisture-proof box.

The cost of remanufactured ink cartridges is about three-quarters of the cost of new ink cartridges, and remanufacturers offer additional discounts in exchange for old ink cartridges.

For example, through their website https://doorstepink.com, Planet Green in Chatsworth sends shipping labels with free postage to anyone who sends them four or more cartridges at a time. The company offers an additional 20% discount on the purchase of remanufactured ink cartridges to those who mail ink cartridges to them.

However, not all ink cartridges can be remanufactured. Sean Levi, CEO of Planet Green, warned: “More and more cheap counterfeit ink cartridges, which are usually listed as'compatible' with brand names, are actually disposable imported garbage that cannot be refilled.”

If you want a discount on the retail price of a famous brand, "but you still want top-quality performance," he suggests, "choose a'remanufactured' iteration of a famous brand instead of a'compatible' label."

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Some companies do not offer discounts for the purchase of remanufactured ink cartridges, but instead pay for a sufficient number of certain empty ink cartridges. Recycling Advantage is located in Indiana, but operates online and by mail, buying empty ink cartridges at prices ranging from 5 cents for HP 58 to 5 US dollars for HP 15.

Payment requires a transaction of at least 25 ink cartridges or $50 ink cartridges, as specified in the online price list. In order to be minimal, participation is most suitable as a fundraising event, and it can also be provided through special arrangements with Planet Green and others.

The remaining or unused ink cartridges in the liquidation are still in the sealed bag and have a higher value. If you have replaced the printer but there are still unused ink cartridges in the sealed bag, please contact Ojai's Galaxy Surplus and other companies. The shelf life of inkjet cartridges is only three years, but laser cartridges have no expiration date.

Recycling is an alternative to refilling and recharging, and some large retailers offer discounts in exchange for recycled ink cartridges. Staples offers a store coupon for $2 in exchange for each ink cartridge, allowing up to 10 ink cartridges per month.

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However, to use points, you must first spend $30 on ink or toner within six months. You can take the ink cartridge to the registry at your local Staples store or request a mailing label.

Office Depot also provides a $2 credit line for each ink cartridge, and only $10 is required for eligible purchases, but within the same month. Best Buy offers a discount of $2 for your next purchase of $40 or more of ink or $100 of toner.

These companies recycle the plastic and metal of ink cartridges into new products, keeping ink and other components away from landfills. However, reuse, because it can save more energy and resources, is generally considered a higher environmental priority.

You can contact David Goldstein, a resource analyst for Ventura County Public Works at david.goldstein@ventura.org or 805-658-4312, or follow Twitter @EyeOnTheEnviron.