In the Loop: July 2026

27 Oct, 2026

Cartridges vs. Bottles: What’s the difference?

Whether it’s a used cartridge from an office printer or a toner bottle from a commercial scale printer, not all print consumables are created equal. While both serve an important purpose during their use phase, the path they take at the end of life can be very different.

A toner cartridge combines a supply of toner with key imaging components, typically the photoconductor drum, developer roller, and waste toner reservoir. As the printer operates, toner is transferred from the cartridge to the drum, then fused onto the paper using heat and pressure.

An ink cartridge stores liquid ink that is delivered to the printhead, either built into the cartridge or permanently installed in the printer. During printing, the printhead ejects microscopic droplets of ink through thousands of tiny nozzles directly onto the paper to create text and images.

A toner bottle, by contrast, is a container of loose toner powder. It refills a separate toner reservoir inside the printer, while the imaging components (such as the drum and developer unit) remain permanently installed in the printer and are replaced only periodically, reducing waste and lowering the cost per page

Mini Deep Dive: Cartridges vs. Bottles End of Life Recoveries – What’s the Difference?

Although cartridges and bottles are often grouped together as print consumables; the construction, material composition, and subsequently, the end of life recovery pathways differ.

Ink and toner cartridges are highly engineered products made from multiple materials including plastics, metals, and electrical components. Their durable design often enables reuse before recycling is considered, extending the product’s life while reducing the need for virgin materials and lowering environmental impact.

While toner bottles have a simpler construction, they still require specialized processing. Labels, caps, adhesives, and residual toner must be removed before the bottles can be reused or recycled. Many types of toner bottles can be cleaned and prepared for refilling and reuse. At Close the Loop’s state-of-the-art Bottle Cleaning Line (BCL), over 750,000 bottles are cleaned every year, maximizing their lifespan. When reuse isn’t possible, bottles can be processed and recycled into raw materials for new products.

While cartridges and bottles follow different paths to renewal, they share an important purpose in the circular economy: both are designed to stay in use beyond their first life. Whether a cartridge is remanufactured, a bottle is cleaned for reuse, or recycled into new materials, that with proper recovery systems, these products can become valuable resources again and again. At Close the Loop, we’ve spent nearly 20 years developing specialized solutions for both material streams, ensuring every product is managed through the most effective recovery pathway while upholding our commitment to zero waste to landfill.

Learn how Close the Loop can help.

Words of Wisdom

“The Earth is what we all have in common.”

– Wendell Berry

What’s Up in the Market?

Europe’s New Packaging Rules Near Implementation

The European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) takes effect on August 12, 2026, introducing new requirements to improve packaging recyclability, increase recycled content, and reduce packaging waste. While the regulation applies within the EU, its impact is expected to influence packaging design worldwide, reinforcing the importance of designing products with end-of-life recovery in mind. Read more here.

Xerox Introduces New Sustainable Printer Line

Xerox has unveiled its first A4 color printers and multifunction printers (MFPs) under its unified brand following its integration with Lexmark. The new lineup features energy-efficient designs made with more than 50% post-consumer recycled plastic, reinforcing Xerox’s commitment to sustainability while delivering enhanced security and performance. Learn more.

Know Your Term: Mechanical Recycling

Mechanical recycling is the process of recovering and reprocessing materials through physical methods such as sorting, cleaning, shredding, and remanufacturing, without changing their underlying chemical structure. The processed material is then used to create new products, helping conserve natural resources, reduce landfill waste, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Why it matters: Mechanical recycling keeps valuable materials in circulation, supports a circular economy, reduces reliance on virgin resources, and lowers the environmental impact of plastic production. However, contamination and mixed-material products can limit its effectiveness, making proper collection and sorting essential.

Employee Spotlight: Obadiah (Obi) Sam

As a valued member of the Close the Loop team for nearly three years, Project Management Engineer Obi Sam has been driving the continued innovation and improvement of Close the Loop’s operational infrastructure, including the Bottle Cleaning Line (BCL). Through his contribution, Obi has helped develop more streamlined processes enchancing the line’s performance and reliability, ensuring toner bottles can make an efficient transition from first use to reuse.

“The bottle cleaning line has changed a lot since I started at Close the Loop,” says Obi. “It was actually my senior capstone project for University, to balance those manual lines and make them more efficient. Initially when we started, (the line) was operating with eight people. Now it only takes three people. We were able to create new fixtures, jigs, better cleaning fixtures to help create new balances and procedures, which were integral to improving the efficiency of the line.”

“Sustainability is something you have to go out of your way to ensure,” says Obi. “For an engineer like myself, my goal is to figure out innovative methods to make sustainability more realistic and achievable to the general public.”

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