Under Xerox's "Environmental Partnership" program, purchasers are given a discount for cartridges if they agree to return the cartridge to Xerox after use, a system that sounds very similar to Lexmark's Prebate program. These cartridges are mostly for use in Xerox copiers, but a few are for laser printers or digital printers/copiers.
The Xerox Web site gives the following text for the 113R482 cartridge: "A pre-paid return label allows for easy return of your used cartridge to Xerox for remanufacturing. (This is) an 'Environmental Partnership' Cartridge, giving a $25 discount at the time of your order. The 'Environmental Partnership' Discount Recycle Program is for customers who will return the used cartridges to Xerox for remanufacturing." Information given for other cartridges does not specify the amount of the discount.
Industry sources report that this program has been in effect for quite a while, but was not widely publicized. The information on the "Environmental Partnership" cartridges is now clearly listed on Xerox's Web site. Calls to Xerox to confirm the history and breadth of the program were not returned as of press time.
The program includes cartridges for such copiers as the Xerox 212, 214, 1012, 5012, 5014, 5312, 5314 and 5614 copiers; the Document Centre 220, 230, 420, 432 and 440 series copiers; and the Xerox 4220 MRP Mid-Range Printing Systems. It also includes cartridges for a few printers, including the 212 Digital Printer/Copier and the Document Centre 230 Laser Printer.
Industry sources indicate that while these printers and copiers do also accept cartridges that are not part of the Environmental Partnership program, those cartridges are much harder to come by, as most users take Xerox up on the offered discount. As users are contractually obligated to return the cartridges, the number of cartridges available for remanufacturing is greatly reduced.
The Arizona Cartridge Remanufacturers Association (ACRA) has added an item to its Web site about the Xerox program recently. ACRA is involved in a lawsuit against Lexmark for its Prebate program, which also gives discounts to end users who agree to return the cartridges to the OEM.
The Xerox site indicates that in 2001, three million cartridges (copier and printer) were returned to Xerox, but does not indicate how many were returned through this program.
For an example of a cartridge sold under this program, visit http://www.xerox.com/go/xrx/template/018s.jsp?view=s13&prodID=13R46&Xcntry=USA&Xlang=en_US.
For more information on Xerox's environmental initiatives, visit http://www.xerox.com/environment.html.
