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Old ink leads to new cash for schools

Toner cartridge recycling aids fund raising

By Joanne Flemming, Compass Correspondent

    Saving your computer's empty ink cartridges can help your school raise money.
    "LaserSave, Inc., an Appleton-based company specializing in toner cartridges, pays schools, churches, civic organizations and other nonprofits for collecting cartridges from laser and inkjet printers.
    "We're trying to help fundraising," said owner Don Burich, adding that recycling the cartridges is also a way to help the environment.
    LaserSavepays $2 for a laser cartridge and $1 for an inkjet.
    "It's not huge money, but we find that it is money that is pretty easy to come by," Burich added.
    Approximately 25 to 30 schools, 12 civic organizations and a couple dozen other nonprofits benefit from the program. Eleanor Healy, principal of St. Margaret Mary School, Neenah, said her school received $400 from LaserSave last year.
    Ellen Amick, secretary, to principal Matthew Reynebeau at Xavier High School in Appleton, said the school received $600 in 2005.
    Burich explained that LaserSave provides collection boxes at the schools. The individual schools and organizations promote the program to their students and members and LaserSave drivers pick up the boxes when they are full. Checks are issued quarterly to the schools and other groups.
    The program is available throughout LaserSave's service area – from Green Bay to Fond du Lac and Waupaca to Manitowoc. Burich added that they only accept cartridges that have not been previously recycled.