Scottish Government's printer ink cartridge recycling policy: FOI release

Information requested

1. Whether there is a recycling policy for printer ink cartridges at this organisation? If so please provide this.
2. How many printer ink cartridges have been used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years, broken down by each year and the office in which they were used?
3. How many printer ink cartridges have been recycled by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years , broken down the each year and the office in which they were recycled?

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible some of the information you have requested is not held.
Our response below provides the information available.

Request 1 - Whether there is a recycling policy for printer ink cartridges at this organisation. If so please provide this.
The recycling of empty toner and ink cartridges is standard practice within the core Scottish Government. The main buildings are provided with dedicated recycling boxes for the collection of empty cartridges. Goods are then recycled in compliance with environmental and waste regulations.

Request 2 - How many printer ink cartridges have been used by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years, broken down by each year and the office in which they were used.
The number of printer ink cartridges used in each office is not held centrally. The number of cartridges purchased by financial year is set out in Table 1

Table 1

Financial Year	2017 -18	2018-19	2019-20
Number	1116	994	746

*These figures are for Scottish Government Core Only

Request 3 - How many printer ink cartridges have been recycled by this organisation in each of the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years , broken down the each year and the office in which
they were recycled.
This information is not held centrally. The Scottish Government operates networked printers which are purchased directly by individual business areas from the National Framework for Office Equipment. All support, maintenance and supplies are provided directly by the supplier to the business area.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.