Printing Cost Per Page (CPP): Dissecting a Print Job's CPP

What constitutes CPP?
Reckoning the cost per page (CPP) of laser print jobs is not an easy task as there are a number of variables involved in the computation. It would have been easier if CPP is measured only based on consumable costs (e.g., toner cartridge, toner refill kit) against the number of pages printed. But then this is not the case since the cost of paper is also factored in along with the energy consumed to process the print job. Perhaps, what is most daunting is determining the depreciation cost of the printer unit as printer components like the OPC Drum and fuser do not expire at the same time. Each time you print, these components also share some degree of wear and its life cycle is dependent upon the number of pages printed. If the rated capacity of the OPC drum is 6,000 pages (an assumption) then CPP for the OPC drum is cost of component divided by the number of pages printed. Therefore, one will have to rely on calculated assumptions to get a fair cost analysis of these consumables.

Is the standard Page Coverage of 5% realistic?
Take the case of the HP CB540A black toner cartridge that loads the HP LaserJet CP1215 color laser printer. With the consumable's rated capacity of 2,200 pages at 5% coverage, the standard page coverage of 5% is too conservative against the actual coverage. Most likely, coverage borders between 30% to 35% which brings actual yield in printed pages to only around 1,400. So, if the print job is over 2000 copies, then in-house printing will be more expensive considering the need for another replacement cartridge to produce the remaining copies. In this case, it becomes more economical to outsource the print job. On the other hand, if the print job only involves 20 to 30 pages, then in-house printing using the CP1215 laser printer is really the most sensible option.

HP Laser Printer CPP versus offset printer charge per copy?
To help laser printer users appreciate the value of CPP, printing giant Hewlett Packard prepared a printing cost footprint - a cost computation that covers all the variables relevant to the print out of a single color document.by the CP1215 color laser printer. HP’s computation of cost per page (CPP) include toner requirements, cost of paper, energy required to sustain printer operation as well as the depreciation of printer components. HP’s cost computation for a color print job that covers 50 copies at 30% page coverage comes at $0.295 per page; with the print job's aggregate cost estimated at around $14.72. The acquisition cost of the color printer is valued at around $300 - so it will take 17 print jobs of the same volume to offset the cost of the printer. The CPP is definitely much cheaper in this case compared to the local printer's $0.66 charge per copy for the same print requirement.

For users intending to reduce on printing expenses, CPP is even lower with a compatible toner refill kit - cheaper by 50% than OEM toner cartridges. Toner refill kits are produced by third party manufacturers and are intended to refill empty OEM toner cartridges. The CB540A cartridge is retailed at $75 while an equivalent toner refill kit sells for only $39.95. Nonetheless, the consumable delivers similar print quality and yield as the OEM toner cartridge. Read more about toner refill kits from this post.

Troubleshooting Print Defects: When the Drum Unit is Suspect!

Troubleshooting print quality troubles for the HP LaserJet 2550 color laser printer based on a defective printout is a tough nut to crack. A laser printer is outfitted with several components; from mechanical rollers, to the photoreceptor drum, the toner cartridge and the fuser assembly. Each of these components is capable of inflicting toner smears on the printout. The only sure way to correct faulty prints is to pull out the suspect component responsible for pertinent print irregularities and physically check it for defects. However the process is tedious, because it involves ocular check-ups of selected, if not all components that come in contact with the paper (medium).

Measuring the Print Defect
Hewlett Packard however made troubleshooting for the HP 2550 so much easier with the use of a repetitive defect ruler. By measuring the actual dimension of the defect on paper (using a ruler), the ugly head of the suspect component can be identified. Since we are dealing with a defective OPC Drum, the repetitive defect measures 148.3 mm in length. Said measure actually indicates that such defect is produced by a defective photoreceptor drum. From thereon, the user simply needs to pull out the photoreceptor drum and physically assess its condition. If the defect is more pronounced, it has to be replaced and if defect is not visible, the drum probably just requires cleaning.

Replacing the Drum's Lockout Chip
Photoreceptor drums are designed with electronic based microchips or lockout chip that count the actual printed pages and consequently desist printing once the rating limit is breached. Standard capacity of the photoreceptor drum is from 6,000 to 8,000 copies at 5% coverage (the industry standard measure of page coverage) and the microchip nominally bars printing after the stated limit. However in cases where not a single defect manifests at the time printing stopped; it could only mean that the OPC Drum is still in fine form and the user will only have to change the lockout chip to commence printing.

Replacing the Drum Unit
On the other hand, if printouts have defects attributed to a defective OPC drum unit, a physical inspection of drum surfaces will not always be a sufficient indicator of the component's actual condition. A tear on its selenium coating is a visible defect (easily recognizable) but if the drum has lost its photosensitive properties, then no amount of physical inspection will be enough to determine what is really wrong with the component. In cases where the OPC drum is suspect and the defect persists, the only choice is to replace the OPC Drum.

Remember that while print defects are a regular fare for laser printers, most print quality troubles emanate from a toner low or toner empty, toner cartridge and seldom do these stem from faulty printer components. Defects attributed to toner empty cartridges can be resolved with the use of a compatible toner refill kit; where the supplied compatible toner powder is used to replenish the cartridge's toner supply. The bundled cost of OEM HP 2550 toner cartridges is around $350 with each cartridge having a capacity of 1,500 pages at 5% coverage. Read more about toner refill kits from our previous post.

For those operating on a shoestring budget, the compatible HP toner refill kit rainbow pack is retailed for less than $100 but delivers similar print performance and yield as the OEM toner.

Read a related post on How to determine if the laser printer drum needs to be replaced?

What happens to used toner cartridges when submitted for recycling?

If you are concerned about global warming, energy conservation, the economy and the environment, then recycling spent toner cartridges should not be an issue for you. The enormity of our country’s recycling efforts is best exemplified by the report of the International Imaging Technology Council (IMTC). IMTC is a non-profit trade association that watches over the interests of the world’s imaging supplies industry. The report intimated that today, there are over 5,000 independent companies in the United States operating the aftermarket consumable industry; particularly involved in the manufacture and retail of remanufactured toner cartridges and toner refill kits.

The 21 billion aftermarket consumable industry is responsible for providing livelihood to almost 40,000 workers. Significantly, the aftermarket has helped reduce the infusion of around 40,000 tons of industrial grade plastics and metals into dumpsites and landfills each year. The average remanufacturer restores about 400 cartridges per month where each company is able to save as much as 300 gallons of oil and almost a thousand tons of solid waste in the course of recycling. And if the annual pieces of spent toner cartridges are piled one on top of the other, the stack of cartridges would actually equal the Burj Al Arab in height – the worlds tallest building at over 127 floors.

Spent toner cartridges (cartridges passing 3 or 4 refills and print cycles) that undergo the recycling process are sorted out first to separate reusable cartridges from those that are totally damaged and are therefore no longer functional.

The global stack of empty cartridges would actually equal the Burj Al Arab in height

• Damaged toner cartridges are melted down and the ensuing plastic is used to manufacture lawn chairs or integrated as polymer paving material in lieu of paving bricks.


• Cartridges that can still be salvaged are dismantled and worn out imaging components are replaced, re-assembled and refilled with a fresh shot of toner – as what cartridge remanufacturing companies would do.


• All other excesses are totally recycled and every piece of the empty toner cartridge is reused; including the cardboard packaging by which the cartridge unit was shipped in.

As a consumer supporting our country’s conservation efforts, you can be assured that your spent cartridges have a facility to return to with the over 5,000 companies engaged in the cartridge recycling program.

Never miss the opportunity to help save the environment. Patronize aftermarket consumables; particularly do-it-yourself toner refill kits to reload the toner supply of empty toner cartridges as this endeavor contributes much to the conservation efforts of this generation.

Toner Cartridge Expenditure in the Entire Lifespan of the Laser Printer

The laser printer can be thought of as the other half of the printer-computer duo. Simply stated, these two always come in tandem. Although toner consumption is dependent on the frequency of printer use and the volume of print jobs, laser printing still boils down to a several hundred dollars expenditure at the end of the year.

Industry estimates put the effective life cycle of the laser printer to 5 years on the average and consumers spend at least 6 to 7 times the cost of the printer for the purchase of consumables. Therefore for the $200 Brother HL-1240 laser printer which loads with an $80 TN-460 toner cartridge, consumable expense for the 5 year period will amount to around $1,760 or roughly 22 toner cartridges in the entire lifespan of the laser printer or a total of 5 toner cartridges consumed annually.


However in the aftermarket for printer consumables, the toner refill kit comes as the perfect antidote to empty OEM toner cartridges and the burgeoning business printing expenses. Not only can the Brother TN-460 toner refill kit duplicate the print and yield performance of the OEM toner but it also comes cheaper by as much as 80% than the retailed OEM toner cartridge. Thus in the serviceable life of a laser printer, the user will only spend around $775 or 60% less than the total expenditure on OEM toner cartridges. As per computation, a user will only have to buy 5 Brother TN-460 toner cartridges and 15 toner refill kits based on the set average consumption levels. The cost difference on toner expenses would allow the purchase of 5 more laser printers at the end of the 5-year period.

If your laser printer outlasts the 5-year industry projection, then a user will most likely be spending more dollars to sustain its consumable requirements. This would further broaden the gap between laser printer acquisition cost and unit lifetime consumable expenses. This only proves that the use of toner refill kits is the best possible option to reduce business printing expenses. Also please remember that when we recycle empty toner cartridges, we are not only easing our printing budgets but unconsciously helping in global environmental conversation efforts. Read more about the benefits of toner cartridge recycling using toner refill kits from our previous post.

Always explore all possible recycling options before dumping empty toner cartridges to the trash bin and help free our dumpsites and landfills of e-garbage.

Recycle Used Paper for Laser Printing? Paper Mills Rid it of Ink First

At least 40 million tons of used papers enter US paper recycling plants annually. Used paper is supplied by offices and households across the country. But do you know how our paper mills effectively rid used paper of ink in order to maintain recycled paper color quality, specifically for laser printing? Since about 67% of waste paper is used as raw material for recycled paper, imagine what it could do to the final product if ink not totally eliminated. When traces of ink find its way into the recycling process, paper would be left with a grayish tint that would make it unacceptable for use as regular media, much more as a substrate for laser printing.

Basically, waste paper (newspaper and office papers) undergoes 2 basic processes to rid its surface not only of ink but also of loose materials such as wires, paper clips, plastic pieces, staple wires and so on before recycling can commence.

Washing. Bales of waste paper reaching paper mills are fed into a large pulper filled with process water which turns waste paper into a slurry (looks more like porridge than pulp). And when repulped material flows through the centrifugal screens; loose materials like wires, paper clips, staple wires, plastic pieces and other impurities are literally thrown out of the slurry. Most of the water is drained out of the slurry through minute screens or sieves that allow water to pass through - not the pulp.

Flotation. Shredded waste paper is again turned into a slurry in the process of removing contaminants. Formulated chemicals classified as surfactants are then added to the slurry; thereby forming a sticky lather on top of the pulp. Air bubbles are then introduced through the pulp which trap the ink, allow it to float into the surface and are then immediately removed. Care must be observed in the speedy removal of air bubbles because if the bubbles break in the process, ink will simply return to the pulp.

From here on, additives are integrated with waste paper pulp to sustain paper quality, color and surface character before being placed over a moving screen to rid it of water. The resulting semi-dry pulp passes through the giant rollers to squeeze out whatever water is left and then the almost dry web enters the dryer before the sheets are formed into rolls ready for use.

When recycled paper does not pass the stringent paper manufacturing process, it could not be used for laser printing - not even with a generous supply of toner powder from a compatible toner refill kit.

Refilling a No Fill Hole, Lockout Chip Controlled Toner Cartridge

Of all the laser printer toner cartridges available in the market, the HP Q2612A is probably one of the most cumbersome to refill. For one, the cartridge does not come with a built in fill-hole; which was obviously intended to discourage refills. Moreover, the cartridge operates with a lockout chip that limits printouts to the yield rated for the cartridge. Third party manufacturers however have developed a refill tool which makes access to the toner hopper and waste chamber possible. From the aftermarket, a reset chip was engineered purposely to override the lockout chip and allow printing with the refilled cartridge. Many call the invention of third party consumables such as the HP 1010 / 1012 / 1020 toner refill kit ingenious; but it makes much sense in the intent of helping laser printer users cope up with rapidly bloating business printing expenditures.

Access to the concealed toner hopper becomes feasible with the refill tool – an improved version of the soldering iron where the conical tip is replaced with a copper tube measuring 18mm to 20mm in diameter. When plugged to an electrical outlet, the copper cylinder tip gets sufficiently heated (in a span of 5 to 10 minutes) to be able melt a hole into the plastic carcass of the toner cartridge. Note that a regular drilling tool should not be used to perform this procedure. Plastic shavings that would likely collect inside the hopper cannot be retrieved entirely and can damage sensitive imaging components. This would then reduce the effective life cycle of the cartridge.

In the process of refilling the Q2612A toner cartridge, the user will be required to create two holes – one each for the toner hopper (where toner supply is contained) and toner waste chamber. It is necessary to empty toner residues lingering inside the toner hopper and waste chamber as failure to do just that will ultimately result in print defects. If possible, use the device called the toner vacuum to completely rid the chambers of toner residues. Likewise note that mixing fresh toner with waste toner will have an unfavorable impact on print quality and yield. Learn more about the refill tool from our previous post.

Of course, the refill process will not be complete without the replacement of the lockout chip with the reset chip. The reset chip will refresh the cartridge's counter and override the Toner Out prompt so that printing can commence with the cartridge refilled with a compatible toner refill kit. Learn more about the reset chip from another previous post.

Totally Chlorine-Free (TFC) Paper - Why is it necessary?

Laser printers require the of use heavy set paper (usually over 24 lbs in weight) to be able to resist lateral pressure applied by rollers on its every turn inside the printer. Non-specified laser paper tends to wrinkle and scourge when heated through the fuser to eventually cause paper jams. Thus, wood fibers are integrated into the manufacturing process to strengthen its lateral surface and be able to resist mechanical abuse in the process of printing.

So where does chlorine come in? Wood fibers integrated into pulp and paper during manufacturing are treated first with chlorine and other chlorine based bleaching compounds before being added to the paper formulation in order to produce high-quality white paper. The whiter, smoother and cleaner the surface of paper is; the better print quality can be expected of laser printer outputs. Sad to say that as of writing, only one pulp and paper mill manufacturing plant in the U.S.A.(Lyons Pulp and Paper in New York) is using TFC (Totally Chlorine-Free) technology.

What harm can chlorine do? Chlorine and chlorine based compounds used in the manufacture of paper disintegrates into thousands of organochlorines (over 300 have been identified so far) that include notorious environmental poisons such as dioxins, furans, DDT, Agent Orange, PCB’s, CFC’s/HCFC’s (ozone destroyers) and other highly toxic and lingering substances found in the waste and product stream.


Several chlorine by-products enter waterways, pollute the atmosphere and are also present in the final paper product. It is estimated that 10% of the global demand for chlorine stems from paper manufacturers.

How does chlorine affect humans? Several clinical studies showed alarming impact of chlorine chemistry on the human health and the environment as well. Chlorine has the ability to cause cancer and other chronic diseases. Recent studies confirm that it indeed poses a worrying concern for our health. Many chlorinated compounds closely monitored under said research have a direct link to hormone disruptions in adults and the unheatlhy development of fetus in pregnant women. Hormones are the body’s electronic sensors responsible for automatically switching on and off required bodily responses and reactions. Furthermore, exposure even at short intervals on chlorinated compounds exposes the male reproductive system to severe risks where contamination could result in low sperm count.

Are alternatives to chlorine-based compounds on the rise? Yes of course, paper mills can still produce high quality paper, totally chlorine-free (TFC) by using oxygen based bleaches – hydrogen peroxide, ozone and oxygen.

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To produce decent laser prints and yield at a reasonable price, refill OEM toner cartridges with toner refill kits. The toner refill kit line of Laser Tek Services is cheaper by as much as 80% than the prevailing retail price of OEM toner cartridges.

The Xante Ilumina 502 series: From Commercial Offset to In-House Printing

Just when you think that the office color printer is the answer to the company’s printing requirement, then comes along Xante Ilumina solutions that pushed color printing to a new dimension. Users of this particular office machine have the confidence to produce printouts with impressive color reproduction quality. Yes, the Xante Ilumina Digital Color Press is equipped with the ‘large league features’ of commercial offset printing - but on a much smaller scale.

Now corporate users won't have to shell out extra for a few hundred copies exceeding their requirements just to keep up with the run lengths of offset printers. The Xante Ilumina solutions can be a heady option with very low production cost. While this printing machine precisely captures corporate colors over printouts, print jobs are not limited to letterhead, business cards and packaging. As the printer can handle oversized and thick stock media, corporate image banners, calendars, greeting cards, fine looking boxes, table wraps, tents, t-shirts and many others can also be produced. Scan below in detail the fine features and benefits of this printing machine.

• The Ilumina 502 can print on oversized media such as a double thick cover up to paper weights of 75 gsm to 502 gsm which is normally produced only by large-offset printers.
• Cut down expenses on business printing by eliminating the need to order short run, color print jobs from offset printers (which can be expensive) as the Ilumina 502 delivers stunning, high quality printouts on a wide variety of paper in a matter of seconds to therefore not compromise the productivity of office personnel.
• With the Ilumina 502, users can produce only the number of copies required and as needed, without minding the minimum run lengths set by offset printers to reduce CPP (cost per page) and the related production schedules as well.
• The printer can handle a wide range of media from gloss and matte coated papers, super-coated and premium uncoated transparencies and even uncoated, fiber-enhanced papers of differing textures.

Just recently, Xante Corporation and Pantone, Inc. (the global authority on color reproduction and initiator of professional color standards for the print industry) inked an agreement placing the entire Xante Ilumina solutions as Pantone accredited. The accreditation puts Xante Ilumina in a class reserved only for the best in the industry.

Does it ever occur to you that the cost of a set of CYMK Ilumina replacement toner cartridges is a little more than $1,000? Those working on a tight-string budget can opt to refill empty Xante cartridges with a compatible Xante toner refill kit instead of replacing it with brand new cartridge units. Retailed for three-quarters less than the OEM cartridge, refilled cartridges deliver the same print quality and yield as its OEM counterpart.

How to Clear Paper Jams?

Let us suppose that you've got deadlines to beat and reports to submit when suddenly in the middle of printing, the laser printer jams. In instances such as this one, the normal reaction would be to bellow in frustration and to vent one's anger on the equipment over the delay its malfunction has caused. But then such action is counter-productive. On the contrary, one must keep his cool and thresh out what ever triggered the paper jam in the first place.

There are several factors that could push a printer to jam. In most cases, the user have no control over it. Find below 2 of the most common causes of paper jams. For a more detailed discussion on the causes of paper jams, refer to our previous post Paper Jams: Why paper gets stuck inside the printer?

1. Paper type, quality and moisture content that renders the media to crease easily


2. Worn out rollers that have lost its tendency to pick-up and move paper in the course of printing

Clearing the Paper Jam
Always maintain a clear, focused mind when attempting to retrieve the paper from where it jammed and determine the best solution possible. Never rush when pulling out jammed paper because failure to retrieve the entire sheet could result into more serious problems once paper has been ripped into smaller pieces. Below are five steps adapted from PC Support Tips.com that could help the user clear paper jams.

1. Initially pull out whatever paper is left with the printer intake and paper supply trays.
2. New generation printers are supplied with removable paper intake trays. Pull out the paper tray for an easy inspection of the jammed section of the printer.


3. Now remove the toner cartridge and drum unit from the printer. Doing this will provide easy access to the jammed paper.


4. Open the printer's sheet-feed back door to inspect the extent of paper obstruction. This step is applicable for laser printers designed with a straight paper path.


5. After discerning the nature of the paper jam, start pulling the jammed paper out gently. Consider applying force evenly on the entire width of the paper to avoid tearing. Remember that the entire sheet should be removed as a single piece.

After removing the jammed paper from the printer, check further for any debris (paper clips, staple wire, hair clips) that may have triggered the jam.

Before reloading the toner cartridge back to the printer, determine if the cartridge has sufficient toner supply. If not, then use a compatible toner refill kit to replenish toner supply. You have just completed clearing the printer of jammed paper, plug the printer back and start printing.

5 Tips for First Time Toner Refill Kit Buyers

Nowadays, access to a horde of consumer items has been streamlined and made simple through the Internet. With just a few clicks on the computer keyboard, consumers can expect ordered goods shipped at their doorstep the following working day.

But before placing an order and paying the bill, consumers must take precautionary steps prior to consummating an online transaction such as the purchase of a toner refill kit. Below are a few tips recommended to help you with your purchase. Let us use the Brother TN-04 toner refill kit (compatible with Brother HL-2700cn and MFC-9420cn printers) as illustration.

1. Note TN-04 cartridge details. It is necessary for users to be familiar with pertinent specifications of the product - from the cartridge part number, laser printer model to its gram weight and yield rated 10,000 pages at 5% coverage (as per OEM cartridge); in order to expedite the purchase and a compatible toner refill kit can be issued.
2. Transact only with trustworthy retailers. To determine the reputation of a retailer, users can browse the vendor's website (if they operate one) and look for indications - company registration number, complete office address and availability of customer service representatives who will entertain after sales inquiries. If the vendor retails through Amazon, eBay and other online marketplaces, there are also methods by which to verify track record.
3. When an online retailer has been determined as reputable, inquire about toner specifications. Ask about gram load details and the number of pages that will be produced. Make sure that toner specifications match OEM rating.
4. Inquire about the refill kit's contents. All tools necessary for a successful refill must be complete. A Brother TN-04 toner refill kit should come supplied with a bottle of fresh toner powder, latex gloves, toner wipes, funnel cap and an instructional manual. Other cartridges require a reset chip. Hence, it is important for users to ensure that the kit being purchased comes with the chip.
5. Verify if there is a need to purchase a refill tool. Unlike the TN-04 cartridge that comes designed with a fill hole, cartridges from other brands require users to create a hole on the cartridge's polymer casing to expose the toner chamber and allow toner replenishment as well. Thus, it is necessary for users to ascertain beforehand if a refill tool is necessary since the device is not bundled with the kit.

Be vigilant when making an online transaction. Observe the abovementioned measures so that a 100% compatible toner refill kit can be made available at your disposal and at the soonest possible time.

A Look at the Brother ‘At Your Side’ Recycling Program

Brother International Corporation (BIC) has organized a responsible recycling program through its ‘AT YOUR SIDE’- corporate aphorism. The program aims to encourage Brother equipment and peripheral consumers to recycle used components such as empty toner cartridges by returning it back to BIC for proper recycling and disposal. Some of the returned printer peripherals are remanufactured while other metal and plastic components are broken down, reprocessed and used as raw materials for the manufacture of other printer parts.

To seal this noble intention geared at preserving the environment, BIC designed its recycling facilities to conform to ISO 14001 (International Organizations for Standardization) guidelines and consequently addressed pertinent environmental management concerns. The ISO is a series of standards that are relevant to environmental management systems. In fact, Brother selected five R’s as keywords intended to encapsulate the company’s environmental activity – REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, REFORM, and RECYCLE. This environmental program rightfully serves Brother’s stature as an environmentally responsible corporate citizen.

The Brother ‘AT YOUR SIDE’ recycling program accepts used laser printer toner cartridges and users are encouraged to deliver properly packed, empty printer cartridges to the different pick-up points designated around the country. Another option is to forward used consumables by mail (free of charge) using shipping labels that can be printed from Brother's recycling page on its website. Note however that unlike HP and Staples, Brother does not provide incentives, cash rewards or tax rebates for every toner cartridge returned.

Recycling at the personal level is easy with Brother consumables since all Brother OEM toner cartridges are provided with toner fill holes. Once the toner cartridge runs dry, a user will only have to open the fill hole by flipping the hopper plug off the toner chamber and pouring in fresh toner powder supplied by a toner refill kit. Now the refill process can be performed 3 to 4 times until the cartridge has reached its maximum effective print cycle. By then, the consumable can be forwarded to the Brother recycling plants for appropriate disposal.

Brother laser printer users have the distinct advantage over other printer users since the BIC takes proper care of its consumers by providing them not only user-friendly products but environmentally fine-tuned equipment as well.

What you need to know about Post Consumer or Recycled Paper?

A decade ago recycled paper did not fare well in the mainstream, particularly with laser printer users. The quality of paper fibers constituting recycled media obviously did not meet the standards of most users to thus merit its low patronage. For one, paper dust particles teeming in recycled paper consequently affected the quality of printouts.

A sizeable build up of paper dust over the feeders and rollers of printing equipment can cause malfunctions while the grainy and abrasive surface of recycled paper expedited the wear and tear of printer components. Moreover, recycled paper fibers absorb too much moisture, affecting toner adhesion to paper and causing paper to crease easily which is the precursor of paper jams.

Well, these were all true when Ronald Reagan was still president. Since then, paper manufacturing technologies have improved a dozen times over and recycled paper - also known as post-consumer paper has now attained level status with virgin paper.

In fact in a few States such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, SC and Massachusetts among others; the Federal Government now puts more preference on the use of recycled paper over those produced with virgin paper components. This is in line with the government’s thrust to conserve our shrinking resources. Although trees used in making paper like Oak, Maple and Pine are renewable reserves, still it takes around 20 to 30 years to grow a replacement that is eligible for use as paper material. Cutting trees incessantly just to serve paper requirements swings the ecological balance to dangerous levels, thus prudence needs to be exercised and recycling used paper is seen as the most viable option.

In order for paper to be classified as post-consumer paper it must pass certain criteria that are related to a laser printer’s specification in terms of speed, fusing temperature, paper surface quality and texture. Set criteria are listed as follows:

• It has the highest post-consumer content.
• It does not contain chlorine or chlorine derivatives.
• Paper component does not include old growth timber content.
• Paper is produced in mills that comply with substantial environmental regulations.
• Recycled paper can be used sparingly on laser printers.
• Cost per ream of recycled paper is competitive or even lower than virgin paper.

An example of recycled paper that passed the mentioned criteria is the Badger Envirographic, a 100% post consumer paper.

Print quality is not only dependent on laser printer media. Certainly, a sufficient supply of toner powder contributes to the enviable performance of the laser printer. Always remember though that recycling begins with laser printer users; so that when an OEM toner cartridge runs out of toner, a compatible toner refill kit is within reach to resolve the issue.