Traditional packaging designs often result in waste that ends up in landfills. They are difficult to recycle, leading to environmental degradation and the depletion of natural resources. This results in a growing need for sustainable packaging that can be easily recycled or repurposed. HP recognized this issue and sought to design packaging that can be disassembled and reused.

HP has developed packaging designs that prioritize disassembly to make recycling easier. Their packaging includes features like snap-fit designs, which allow the product to be easily taken apart and separated into different materials.

The 30 people who work at the facility sort the used cartridges, disassemble them and shred the plastic casings for use in future products.

Once the cartridges are sorted, they head to the other side of the building for disassembly and plastic shredding. A machine scrapes the sticker off the top of the ink cartridges, removes the lids and takes out the foam and precious metals inside the cartridges. That leaves the hollow cartridge, which is shredded.

The average ink cartridge spends two to three months in La Vergne. Then, the finished product — the shredded plastic — is sent to another plant in Canada where it gets mixed with other recycled plastics and turned into pellets. The pellets are sent to HP’s manufacturing locations, including Malaysia and China, where they are used to make new ink cartridges that go to market.

They also use a range of recycled and biodegradable materials to minimize the environmental impact of their packaging. HP has also partnered with suppliers to ensure that their packaging is responsibly sourced and manufactured.

HP's commitment to sustainable packaging has resulted in positive outcomes for both the company and the environment. By designing packaging that is made for disassembly, they have reduced waste and increased the recycling of their products. This has helped HP achieve its goal of using 30% post-consumer recycled content in its packaging.

Photo by Dario Seretin