The high cost of non-original toner
In tough economic times, it’s no surprise that just about everyone is out to ‘try and save a buck’, quite often by buying cheaper products that end up costing far more in the long run. Non-original toner cartridges are the perfect example of this.
While they may look similar to the original and make unqualified claims to the quality of printing output at a cheaper price, non-original toner comes with a hidden price tag that not only has negative financial consequences in terms of poor quality prints and damage to assets (not to mention a business’ reputation), but places a heavy toll on the environment too.
It’s important that we educate our customers on the importance of using original toner in their Kyocera printers. Here’s why:
Kyocera’s toner cartridges are not only specifically designed and rigorously tested to work with our printers, they are also eco-friendly. Kyocera’s unique i-toner cartridges are made from as few as eight parts, all plastic, all recyclable. The toner uses no organic solvents and very little water to minimise its environmental impact. And by fusing at 30°C cooler than conventional toners, it saves on energy consumption too. In addition, original toners use less toner and produce optimal print quality without leakage or smudging.
Original toner cartridges are also easier to recycle. In South Africa, Kyocera offers a recycling service for all used, genuine Kyocera toner cartridges. Returned cartridges are sent to Carbon Footprint recycling facility to repurpose the materials into items such as planter boxes or school desks. This is particularly important if you consider legislation such as South Africa’s National Environmental Management Act (107/1998), which requires an environmental impact assessment for certain activities that may affect the environment, such as the production, import, export, or disposal of hazardous substances, including toners.
To this end, non-original toner cartridges could put your business at risk because they are made from lower quality materials that can harm the environment through soil and water contamination caused by leaks or spillage. Non-original toners can also emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and ozone, which can negatively affect air quality and consequently, human health.
In addition, non-original toner cartridges can damage printers as they are often unlikely to fit properly and have incompatible toner formulations that result in paper jams, burns or printer breakdown, ultimately resulting in downtime and decreased productivity.
By taking all of these obstacles into consideration, the true cost of using non-original toner is way too high, with the short term gains being far outweighed by the mid-term costs. Save time, money and your business’s reputation, stick to Kyocera original toner cartridges for Kyocera products and save money and the planet in the long run.
Yena Ngidi - Hardware Product Manager - KYOCERA Document Solutions South Africa
