Recycle Cartridges For Your Local Food Bank

Canadians have an easy way to recycle inkjet cartridges and cell phones while donating to their local food banks at the same time. The thINK FOOD program accepts donations of used inkjet cartridges at drop-off locations throughout most towns and cities. Along with the Phones-for-Food program, cartridges and cell phones are sold to the remanufacturing industry and funds go directly to the food bank in the local community.

According to the thINK-FOOD website, "300 million laser and inkjet cartridges go to landfills every year in North America." The program ensures that the entire cartridge is refurbished to become a new cartridge, wasting nothing. Since the program brings in money for local food banks, the benefits of the program are twofold.

With no cost to the consumer, and free shipping labels for those outside of serviced areas, Canadians have little excuse for throwing away their used ink cartridges.

Partnerships with companies like Purolator, Petro-Canada, and Rogers have helped to bring thINK FOOD and Phones-for-Food to communities throughout Canada. Rogers locations accept cell phone donations, and many local community centres, schools, and government offices have drop-off boxes for inkjet cartridges. Find a drop-off location in your community at the thINK FOOD website. Free-shipping mailing labels are available for download for those without a nearby drop-off location.

The thINK FOOD and Phones-for-Food programs are managed by the Canadian Association of Food Banks.