How to Recycle Office Printers and Copiers in the Inland Empire
When your business upgrades to faster, more efficient printing equipment, the question of what to do with the old machines becomes a real challenge. Office printers, copiers, and multifunction devices (MFDs) are bulky, contain hazardous components, and — surprisingly to many — store sensitive data. Here's how Inland Empire businesses can responsibly retire this equipment.
Why Printers and Copiers Can't Go in the Dumpster
Under California's Electronic Waste Recycling Act, printers and copiers are classified as electronic waste and cannot legally be disposed of in regular trash or commercial dumpsters. They contain materials such as toner residue, lead solder, mercury switches (in some older models), and plastic flame-retardants that can leach toxins into soil and groundwater if landfilled.
The Hidden Data Risk in Modern Office Equipment
Most business owners don't realize that nearly every networked copier and multifunction printer manufactured in the last 15 years contains an internal hard drive. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), these drives can store thousands of scanned, copied, faxed, and printed documents — including tax returns, medical records, and confidential client information.
When a copier leaves your office without proper data sanitization, those documents go with it. Following NIST Special Publication 800-88 Rev. 1 guidelines, the internal storage must be either cryptographically erased, overwritten, or physically destroyed before the device is resold or recycled.
What Equipment We Accept
- Laser and inkjet printers (all sizes)
- Floor-standing copiers and multifunction devices
- Wide-format and plotter printers
- Fax machines and label printers
- 3D printers
- Network scanners
Handling Toner and Ink Cartridges
Toner powder is fine and can become airborne, posing inhalation risks if cartridges are damaged. The U.S. EPA recommends keeping used cartridges sealed in their original packaging or in a plastic bag until they reach a recycler. Many cartridges contain recoverable plastics and small amounts of metal, all of which can be reclaimed when processed properly.
- Leave cartridges installed in the printer if possible — we'll remove them safely.
- For loose cartridges, bag each one individually to prevent leaks.
- Never burn or puncture toner cartridges.
How to Prepare Your Office Equipment for Pickup
- Remove the device from your network and document its serial number for your asset records.
- Perform a factory reset and, when available, run the manufacturer's secure data-wipe utility.
- Detach power cords and accessories — we recycle those too.
- Stage equipment in a ground-floor area or loading dock for our team.
- Request a Certificate of Recycling and Data Destruction for your compliance files.
Free Pickup Across the Inland Empire
Urban Electronic Recycling provides free commercial pickup for businesses with 5 or more items throughout Corona, Norco, Eastvale, Riverside, Chino Hills, Ontario, and the wider Inland Empire. Our team handles loading, transport, and full processing — so your team can focus on the upgrade, not the cleanup.
Sources: U.S. EPA — Sustainable Materials Management; U.S. Federal Trade Commission — Copier Data Security; CalRecycle — Covered Electronic Waste Program; NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1.