Ink Cartridges Become Stepping Stones <\/p>\n
Tuesday, 29 Jul 2008<\/p>\n
AUSTIN — Image Microsystems is giving new life to old ink cartridges
\nand other plastics. <\/p>\n
“Probably fifteen to twenty million pieces of ink cartridges did not
\ngo to landfill because of this process,” company CEO Alex Abadi said. <\/p>\n
It’s an eye-opening transformation taking place at the company’s
\nnorth Austin location. <\/p>\n
The company re-manufactures and re-sells computer parts. <\/p>\n
“Our impact that we’re trying to make sure that we understand is to
\nrecover every bit of plastic that comes into this possibly where we
\ncan remanufacture it,” company VP Jim Rollins said. <\/p>\n
Students and graduates from the Texas School for the Deaf work at the
\nfacility and they prepare the cartridges for their transformation. <\/p>\n
Employee John Davis told us about the positive impact he and his
\nco-workers are making. <\/p>\n
“I think this is a lot,” Davis said. “Recycling, I think it needs to
\ncontinue and it’s a part of our future that we always have to
\nconsider, absolutely.” <\/p>\n
The old ink containers are taken to an assembly line of machines,
\nwhere they ride a conveyor belt and drop into a grinder. Machines chew
\nup the plastic and spit out tiny pieces Every piece of the ink
\ncartridge is separated, even the foam inside the cartridge. <\/p>\n
The grinded plastic then turns into a hot, mooshy substance. It’s
\nthen placed in a mold for a few minutes before becoming a new stepping
\nstone. <\/p>\n
“We have put some design in it,” Abadi said. “We have different type
\nof stones so it’s user-friendly.” <\/p>\n
The stones go through a finishing process and are stored until
\npurchased from the the company’s website. <\/p>\n
And it’s not just ink cartridges. <\/p>\n
“Anything plastic, we can use,” Abadi said. <\/p>\n
Other computer plastics are also mixed in to make the stepping
\nstones, which the company said can last for decades. <\/p>\n
Next up? The company is hoping to manufacture manhole covers out of
\nrecycled plastic. Also, they want to make water meter covers and sell
\nthem. Abadi said they all pass required strength and sunlight exposure
\ntests. <\/p>\n
“As we put time and effort and money into this we realize we can go
\ndo something bigger,” Abadi said. <\/p>\n
Image Microsystems said it hopes to install more plastic recycling
\nmachines in other parts of the country. <\/p>\n
Source:
\nhttp:\/\/www.myfoxaustin.com\/myfox\/pages\/ContentDetail?contentId=7089477<\/p>\n
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Ink Cartridges Become Stepping Stones Tuesday, 29 Jul 2008 AUSTIN — Image Microsystems is giving new life to old ink cartridges and other plastics. “Probably fifteen to twenty million pieces of ink cartridges did not go to landfill because of…<\/p>\n